Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-07

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 line graph compares the number of people employed in four sectors of the US economy:

manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing employed the greatest number of workers for most of the period despite declining after 1980, whereas retail and healthcare experienced sustained growth. In contrast, employment in agriculture fell steadily and remained by far the smallest sector by the end of the period.

At the beginning of the period, manufacturing dominated the labor market, employing around 15 million people, compared with only 6 million in retail and approximately 2 million in both agriculture and healthcare. Manufacturing then reached a peak of 20 million in 1980 before declining gradually to about 13 million by 2020. Unlike manufacturing, retail followed a continuous upward trend, rising steadily from 6 million to 16 million, and eventually overtook manufacturing in the final year. Although the gap between these two sectors was considerable at the start, it had completely reversed by 2020.

A similar contrast can be seen between healthcare and agriculture. While healthcare expanded consistently from 2 million workers in 1960 to approximately 15 million in 2020, agriculture moved in the opposite direction, declining from around 6 million to just 2 million over the same period. Healthcare surpassed agriculture by 1980 and widened the gap thereafter, with employment increasing by about 13 million, whereas agricultural jobs fell by roughly 4 million. By the end of the period, healthcare had become almost eight times larger than agriculture and was only slightly behind retail.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response is excellent. You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You effectively selected key features, such as the peak of manufacturing in 1980 and the significant growth in healthcare, while making relevant comparisons between the sectors. The data is accurately reported, and the comparison between the sectors is logical and well-supported by the figures provided. You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt, ensuring a clear and comprehensive summary of the information presented in the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from an overview to a detailed analysis of the sectors. You have used a wide range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'whereas', 'in contrast', 'unlike', and 'although', which help to link ideas smoothly. The referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different trends observed in the data. The flow of the text is natural and easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and precise range of vocabulary appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. Phrases such as 'dominated the labor market', 'sustained growth', 'continuous upward trend', and 'widened the gap' show a sophisticated control of language. The word choices are accurate and contribute to the professional tone of the report. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is used with a high degree of flexibility and precision throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with full flexibility and accuracy. You have successfully used complex sentence forms, such as 'While healthcare expanded consistently... agriculture moved in the opposite direction', and 'Although the gap between these two sectors was considerable at the start, it had completely reversed by 2020'. Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your sentences. The writing is virtually error-free, reflecting a high level of grammatical control and maturity in your writing style.

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