Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20

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 7.0)

The given line chart illustrates the number of jobs available in different sectors which include manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in the United States from the year 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the number of opportunities to work kept on increasing between 1960 and 2020 for the healthcare and retail sectors. On the other hand, the manufacturing industry saw a rise in the number of jobs; however, after the initial few years the number of jobs kept on decreasing till 2020. The agriculture sector never saw an increase in jobs between the given years.

The healthcare sector had about 2 million, whereas the retail sector had 6 million jobs in 1960. Nevertheless, both of the industries saw a large increase in available jobs throughout the given timeline. Both industries reached peak in terms of job availability in 2020, with 16 million jobs available across each sector. The healthcare sector had 5 million and the retail sector had 10 million jobs in 1980. In 2000, the number of jobs increased to 11 million and 15 million in the healthcare and retail sectors respectively.

Initially, in 1960 the manufacturing industry had 15 million jobs which was the highest as compared to all other sectors in the same year. Moreover, the number increased to 20 million in 1980, after this the number of jobs kept on declining reaching 13 million in 2020. Conversely, the number of jobs in the agriculture sector was 6 million in 1960 and kept on reducing reaching just 2 million jobs in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively covers all four sectors and identifies the main trends, such as the growth in healthcare and retail versus the decline in agriculture and manufacturing. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. Key features are highlighted, such as the peak in 2020 for healthcare and retail, and the starting point for manufacturing. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurate; for instance, the description of the manufacturing peak in 1980 is well-noted, but ensure the transition between periods is consistently analytical rather than just listing figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that group the sectors by their trends (growth vs. decline). Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Nevertheless', and 'Conversely' are used effectively to signal shifts in the narrative. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the growing sectors from those that declined. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text. The response is easy to follow and demonstrates a good command of organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. You used terms like 'illustrates', 'opportunities', 'timeline', and 'declining' correctly. There is a good attempt at using sector-specific terminology. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to avoid repetition (e.g., 'surged', 'plummeted', 'fluctuated'). While the current range is adequate for a high band, incorporating more precise collocations would enhance the sophistication of the writing. The spelling is accurate throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the control over punctuation is solid. There are minor instances where phrasing could be more concise, such as 'the number of opportunities to work kept on increasing', which could be streamlined. However, these do not impede communication. The use of comparative structures like 'the highest as compared to' is generally accurate. The grammatical control is consistent, and the errors are rare and non-systematic, which is characteristic of a high-band response.

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