Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-19
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 presents the details of four jobs sectors of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, manufacturing and argiculture experienced a decline in employment over the period, while the number of jobs in retail and healthcare increased. Manufacturing had the highest number of jobs for most of the period, although it was taken by reatil and healthcare by 2020.
In 1960, manufacturing employed around 15 million people, compared with approximately 6 million in retail and agriculture and only 2 million in healthcare. The number of manufacturing jobs increased significantly to 20 million in 1980, before falling to about 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Agriculture, on the other hand, declined from around 6 million jobs in 1960 to 3 million in 1980. It then remained stable until 2000 before falling slightly to approximately 2 million in 2020.
Retail employment increased steadily throughout the period. It rose from about 6 million jobs in 1960 to 10 million in 1980, then reached approximately 15 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020. Healthcare showed the most substantial growth, increasing from just 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980. This figure more than doubled to around 11 million in 2000 and reached approximately 16 million by 2020, making healthcare one of the largest employment sectors at the end of the period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| 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 identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the shifts in employment sectors. The data is accurately reported, and the comparisons between sectors (e.g., the decline in manufacturing versus the growth in healthcare) are well-integrated. You have successfully highlighted the key features, such as the crossover point where healthcare and retail overtook manufacturing. The information is well-selected and supports the summary effectively, meeting the requirements for a high band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the information thematically. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you have used a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'on the other hand', 'before falling', and 'throughout the period'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the declining sectors from the growing ones. The flow of information is natural, and the referencing is clear throughout the text, ensuring the reader can easily follow the comparison of data points.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information precisely. Phrases like 'experienced a decline', 'remained stable', and 'most substantial growth' demonstrate a good command of academic language. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task, incorporating a few more sophisticated synonyms or collocations (e.g., 'plummeted' or 'surged') could elevate the response further. Overall, the lexical control is strong and supports the clear communication of the data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response demonstrates a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('although it was taken by...') and participial phrases ('before falling to...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over tense usage (past simple for historical data) is consistent and accurate. Punctuation is used correctly to manage sentence length and clarity. While there is a minor error in the first paragraph ('four jobs sectors' should be 'four job sectors'), this is a rare slip and does not impede communication or affect the overall high quality of the grammar.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.