Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-19

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below gives information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US, 1960-2020

Student answer (Band 6.5)

The line graph illustrates the numbers of jobs in four sector of the economy in the United States between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the manufacturing produced the highest numbers of jobs before decreasing considerably, whereas jobs in healthcare and retail rose dramatically to provide the highest number of jobs by 2020. In contrast, employment in agriculture decreased steadily to represent the lowest figure over the years.

In 1960, manufacture created 15 million jobs, rose gradually to 20 million jobs by 2020, before fell dramatically to roughly 13 million jobs in 2020. On the other hand, jobs in healthcare rose significantly from less than 5 milllion jobs in 1960 to more than 10 million jobs by 2000, climbed to more than 15 million jobs in 2020, representing the highest number of jobs along with retail.

Similarly, retail created 6 million jobs in 1960, climbed to 10 million jobs in 1980, soared to 15 million jobs in 2000 before reaching 16 million jobs in 2020, whereas jobs in agriculture decreased steadily form 6 million jobs in 1960 to less 5 million jobs by 2020, representing the lowest number of jobs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main patterns: manufacturing peaks before declining, healthcare and retail rise, and agriculture falls to the lowest level. The overview is relevant, and most reported figures are consistent with the graph. However, there is a significant factual inconsistency: manufacturing rises from 15 million to 20 million by 1980, not by 2020, before falling to about 13 million. The overview also says retail and healthcare provide the highest number of jobs by 2020, but could state more precisely that they finish level at around 16 million. Agriculture’s decline is captured, though its intermediate plateau around 3 million is omitted. More precise reporting of the manufacturing timeline and key comparisons would make the summary more complete and clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, moving from an introduction to an overview and then to details. The overview effectively groups the rising sectors against the declining ones, while phrases such as “On the other hand” and “Similarly” help connect comparisons. This gives the report a coherent progression. Some linking is slightly mechanical, however, and the final sentence combines retail and agriculture in a long comparison, making the information less easy to follow. The manufacturing description also contains a timeline contradiction that disrupts the flow of the data. Separate the sector details into more balanced sentences and use transitions that show the specific relationship between trends, rather than relying mainly on general contrast markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of trend vocabulary, including “rose significantly,” “soared,” “decreased steadily,” and “representing the lowest figure.” These choices communicate the broad movements and show some flexibility beyond basic verbs. There are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation: “manufacture created” is less natural than describing the number of jobs in manufacturing, and “the manufacturing produced” is awkward. “Highest number of jobs” is also repeated where “largest employment level” or “joint-highest” would be more precise. Spelling slips such as “milllion” and “form” are noticeable but do not prevent understanding. Aim for accurate sector names and natural collocations, and vary repeated phrases without sacrificing precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex structures, including a contrast clause with “whereas” and a sentence beginning “In contrast.” Most of the meaning remains clear, and the response shows an ability to link several trends within a sentence. Some grammatical errors remain. For example, “four sector” needs a plural, and “before fell dramatically” requires a suitable verb form, such as “before falling.” The manufacturing sentence also shifts from “In 1960” to “by 2020” for the rise, creating a tense-and-time reference problem as well as a factual one. In “to less 5 million,” the comparison needs “to less than 5 million.” Check plural agreement, verb forms after “before,” and comparative constructions during revision.

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