Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-07-31

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 8.5)

The line graph compares the number of jobs, measured in millions, in four sectors of the US economy—manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare—between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing was the largest employer at the beginning of the period but declined after reaching a peak in 1980. In contrast, retail and healthcare experienced steady growth, while agriculture showed a continuous downward trend and became the smallest sector by the end of the period.

In 1960, manufacturing provided around 15 million jobs, compared with about 6 million in both retail and agriculture. Healthcare employed the fewest people, at only 2 million. By 1980, manufacturing had increased significantly to approximately 20 million jobs, its highest point. During the same period, retail rose to 10 million, while healthcare climbed to 5 million. Agriculture, however, fell sharply to around 3 million.

From 1980 onwards, employment in manufacturing gradually declined to roughly 13 million in 2020. Retail continued to grow, reaching 15 million in 2000 and about 16 million by the end of the period, making it the largest employer. Healthcare also expanded steadily, increasing from 5 million to around 16 million between 1980 and 2020. Meanwhile, agriculture remained on a downward path, ending the period at only 2 million jobs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the trends and successfully identified the main features, such as the peak of manufacturing in 1980 and the contrasting growth of healthcare and retail. The data is accurately reported, and comparisons are made throughout the text, such as noting that healthcare employed the fewest people initially but grew to match retail by 2020. The information is well-selected and supports the summary effectively, meeting all requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overall trend, the initial period (1960-1980), and the final period (1980-2020). Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'During the same period', 'however', and 'Meanwhile' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is skillful, and the information flows smoothly from one point to the next, making the report very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Terms such as 'downward trend', 'peak', 'steadily', and 'expanded' are used appropriately in the context of describing data trends. The language is natural and precise, allowing for a clear description of the graph. While the vocabulary is accurate and functional, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'increased' and 'decreased' could elevate the response further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'In 1960, manufacturing provided around 15 million jobs, compared with about 6 million in both retail and agriculture.' Punctuation is accurate, and there are virtually no grammatical errors. The control over sentence structure is consistent throughout the text, contributing to the overall clarity and professional tone of the report.

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