Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-27

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 6.0)

The graph shows number of jobs in manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare in the United States from 1960 to 2020. The number of jobs is provided in millions.

In 1980, the number of manufacturing jobs reached its peak. Retail and healthcare jobs were the highest in count in 2020. Agriculture jobs were large in number during 1960. On the other hand, retail and heathcare jobs were less in 1960 compared to 2020. But availabiltiy of manufacturing and argriculture jobs decreased in 2020.

Between 1960 and 1980, manufacturing jobs were increasing rapidly and reached its peak in 1980 (20 millions). On the contrary, Agriculture jobs had a steady decline from 1960 to 1980. After 1980 the number of argriculture jobs remained the same as 1980 (about 3 millions) till 2000. After 2000 it started to fall slowly and finally the count was about 2 millions. After 1980, the number of manufacturing jobs declined steadily and reached about 13 millions in 2020.

Retail and healthcare jobs were always increasing from 1960 to 1980. They both had their lowest points in 1960 and highest points in 2020. However, the rate of increase in healthcare jobs was greater than that of retail jobs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the four sectors and report several key patterns accurately: manufacturing peaks at about 20 million in 1980 before falling, agriculture declines overall, and both retail and healthcare reach their highest levels in 2020. The comparison that healthcare grows faster than retail is also relevant. However, some points are unclear or imprecise: saying agriculture was “large in number” in 1960 does not convey that it was tied with retail at about 6 million, and “retail and healthcare jobs were the highest in count in 2020” overlooks that they finish level at around 16 million. The overview also does not clearly summarise the main shift in ranking. To strengthen the response, state the key comparisons explicitly and distinguish the series’ different trajectories.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a brief overview, and paragraphs describing the trends. The sequence from 1960–1980 to later years helps the reader follow the data, and contrast markers such as “On the contrary” and “However” show attempts to connect ideas. At times, though, the organisation is less effective because the overview repeats details that are then explained again, while the final paragraph groups retail and healthcare together despite their different rates of growth. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “After 1980” and “After 2000.” Grouping the series by their contrasting patterns and using clearer references would make progression more cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “reached its peak,” “steady decline,” “remained the same,” and “rate of increase.” These expressions help describe trends and comparisons. Some choices are imprecise or awkward for chart reporting: “large in number” is vague, “highest in count” is unnatural, and “availability of … jobs” does not accurately describe the number of jobs. There are also spelling errors in “heathcare,” “availabiltiy,” and “argriculture.” These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce accuracy and polish. Aim for precise terms such as “employment,” “stood at,” and “rose/fell,” and proofread sector names carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including time clauses and contrasts: “After 1980 the number of manufacturing jobs declined steadily” and “However, the rate of increase in healthcare jobs was greater than that of retail jobs.” Most meanings remain clear. Some grammatical inaccuracies occur, especially with number and agreement: “20 millions” and “reached its peak” after the plural subject “manufacturing jobs.” The sentence “Retail and healthcare jobs were always increasing from 1960 to 1980” also gives an inaccurate time span and uses a continuous form where a simple trend description would be clearer. Check singular/plural agreement and use “million” after numbers; vary sentence patterns while keeping each comparison precise.

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