Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The bar graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors: manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare in the US from 1960 to 2020. Overall, it is evident that manufacturing and healthcare experienced an upward trend throughtout the period, whereas retail and agriculture saw a downward trend. In 1960, the number of jobs in the healthcare sector stood at around 3 million, while retail recorded considerably higher approximately 5 millions. By 2000, healthcare gradaully increased to about 12 million, before peaking at 15 million in 2020. Similarly, retail dramatically climbed to about 15 million in 2000, before slightly inclining to nearly 16 million in the final year. By contrast, the number of jobs in manufacturing was 15 million in 1960, whereas agriculture recorded considerably lower at 7 million. By 1980, manufacturing peaked at 20 million, before declining gradually to around 13 million in 2020. Meanwhile, the number of jobs in agriculture fell to nearly 4 million in 1980. After that, it remained stable till 2000, before slightly decreasing to 3 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main features and trends across the four sectors. You have successfully selected key data points to support your descriptions, such as the peak in manufacturing in 1980 and the final figures in 2020. The overview provides a clear summary of the general trends. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are accurate; for instance, the description of retail and healthcare trends contains some minor inaccuracies regarding the data points provided in the graph. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets all requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors effectively (healthcare/retail vs. manufacturing/agriculture). Cohesive devices such as 'Similarly', 'By contrast', and 'Meanwhile' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate different trends. The progression of ideas is clear, and the information is presented in a coherent manner throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision, using terms like 'upward trend', 'downward trend', 'peaking', and 'remained stable'. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'slightly inclining' (which is not a standard collocation) and 'gradaully' (spelling error). However, these do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to avoid repetition and enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some grammatical slips, such as 'retail recorded considerably higher approximately 5 millions' (missing a preposition and incorrect pluralization) and 'slightly inclining', the meaning remains clear. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is generally accurate. To achieve a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage when describing data points.

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