Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-01
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 8.0)
The line graph provides the statistics about the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy during the period of 1960 to 2020. The sectors are manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare.
Overall, retail and healthcare have seen a growth in the number of jobs during the period. On the other hand, the jobs in manufacturing and agriculture sectors have decreased in the same time. Healthcare which had the least jobs in the beginning, surpassed all other sectors by the end of the observation period.
In 1960, manufacturing sector was the major contributor of jobs with 15 million jobs. It was followed by retail and agriculture sectors, both having just above 5 million jobs. The manufacturing sector was at its peak of 20 million jobs before it dipped to around 14 million in 2020.
The numbers of agriculture sector show a steady decrease in the jobs from nearly 6 million to roughly 2 million in 1960 and 2020 respectively. Healthcare sector which had only 2 million jobs in 1960, surpassed agriculture sector by 1980 and eventually had more jobs than manufacturing sector by 2020 with just above 15 million jobs. Retail sector jobs also increased from roughly 6 million jobs in 1960 to 16 million in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the trends and selected key features, such as the growth in healthcare and retail versus the decline in manufacturing and agriculture. The data is accurately reported, and comparisons are made throughout, such as noting when healthcare surpassed agriculture and manufacturing. The information is well-selected to highlight the main features of the graph. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are described with maximum precision, as some figures, like the 1960 manufacturing peak, could be more clearly distinguished from the overall trend.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors by their trends (declining vs. growing). Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'In 1960', and 'eventually' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different trends. The progression of ideas is smooth, and referencing is generally clear. To improve, you could vary your linking phrases slightly more to avoid repetitive structures when introducing new data points.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information accurately, including terms like 'major contributor', 'surpassed', 'steady decrease', and 'observation period'. The word choice is generally precise and appropriate for an academic report. There are no significant spelling errors, and the vocabulary is used naturally. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common synonyms to describe trends, such as 'plummeted', 'witnessed a surge', or 'marginal fluctuations'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally strong. There are minor slips, such as 'The numbers of agriculture sector show' (should be 'The numbers for the agriculture sector') and 'in the beginning' (could be 'at the start'). However, these errors do not impede communication. You have used a variety of structures, including relative clauses ('which had the least jobs'), which shows good grammatical flexibility.
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