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 illustrates changes in employment numbers across four distinct US economic sectors from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, healthcare and retail saw substantial job growth over the 60-year period, while manufacturing and agriculture experienced overall declines. Notably, healthcare emerged as the largest employing sector by 2020, overtaking manufacturing.

In 1960, manufacturing was the leading sector with 15 million jobs. This figure peaked at 20 million in 1980 before steadily dropping to 12 million by 2020. In stark contrast, healthcare started as the smallest sector with just 2 million jobs but grew consistently throughout the period, finishing at a peak of 16 million.

Meanwhile, the retail sector began at approximately 6 million jobs, dipping slightly in 1980 before surging to 15 million in 2000, where it stabilized until 2020. Conversely, agriculture experienced a continuous downward trajectory, plummeting from around 6 million jobs in 1960 to just 1 million by the end of the timeframe

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, identifying the growth in healthcare and retail alongside the decline in manufacturing and agriculture. Key features are well-selected, such as the peak of manufacturing in 1980 and the consistent rise of healthcare. Comparisons are made throughout, such as noting that healthcare overtook manufacturing by 2020. The data is accurately reported, and the response maintains a professional tone suitable for an Academic Task 1. The information is well-developed, and the summary is concise and accurate, 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. You have used an effective structure: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors logically (those that grew versus those that declined). Cohesive devices such as 'Notably', 'In stark contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'Conversely' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the flow between sentences is smooth. The information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, demonstrating a high level of control over the structure of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You have demonstrated a wide and precise range of vocabulary, which is appropriate for describing trends in a graph. Phrases such as 'substantial job growth', 'steadily dropping', 'stark contrast', 'surging', and 'continuous downward trajectory' are used accurately and naturally. The vocabulary is varied and shows a good awareness of collocation. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or spelling, and the language used is sophisticated enough to convey the information clearly and effectively. This demonstrates a strong command of lexical resources.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response displays a wide range of grammatical structures with a high degree of accuracy. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'In 1960, manufacturing was the leading sector with 15 million jobs' and 'Meanwhile, the retail sector began at approximately 6 million jobs, dipping slightly in 1980 before surging to 15 million in 2000'. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and sentence structure is consistent throughout the text.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.