Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-08
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 illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy—manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare—between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, manufacturing jobs increased initially before declining considerably, while employment in healthcare and retail generally rose. In contrast, the number of agricultural jobs decreased throughout the period.
In 1960, manufacturing was the largest employment sector, with approximately 15 million jobs. This figure rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before falling to around 17 million in 2000 and approximately 13 million in 2020. Retail employment, meanwhile, increased steadily from about 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980, and then reached roughly 15 million in 2000. By 2020, it had risen slightly further to around 16 million.
Healthcare experienced the most significant growth. Starting at only about 2 million jobs in 1960, employment in this sector climbed to approximately 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000, and 16 million in 2020. By the end of the period, healthcare had therefore become one of the largest employment sectors.
Agriculture followed the opposite trend. Employment fell from around 6 million jobs in 1960 to approximately 3 million in 1980, remained relatively stable in 2000, and declined further to about 2 million in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and selected key data points to support your descriptions. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly in how you contrast the growth of healthcare with the decline of agriculture. The data is accurately reported, and the structure allows for a logical progression of information. To reach a band 9, you could further synthesize the data by grouping sectors with similar trajectories more explicitly in the body paragraphs, rather than dedicating one paragraph per sector, which would demonstrate a more sophisticated level of data analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Each paragraph has a central focus, and the progression of ideas is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'meanwhile', and 'By the end of the period', which help the reader follow the narrative of the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sectors. The flow is natural, and there is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive linking, making the text very easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'illustrates', 'declining considerably', 'steady increase', and 'opposite trend' are used accurately. The vocabulary is precise and contributes to the clarity of the report. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items related to trends, such as 'plummeted', 'surged', or 'marginal fluctuation', to show a wider range of lexical flexibility. However, the current usage is accurate and sufficient for the task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response displays a high level of grammatical control. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively, such as the use of subordinate clauses in 'While employment in healthcare and retail generally rose'. Punctuation is accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the tense usage (past simple for historical data) is consistent and correct throughout the report. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a strong command of English grammar.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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