Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The line graph shows the number of jobs in tour sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020. The figures are given in millions and include manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare.

Overall, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs at the beginning, but it decreased after reaching a peak in 1980. In contrast, retail and healthcare increased considerably. Agriculture was the only sector that showed an overall decline throughout the period.

In 1960, manufacturing provided about 15 million jobs, while retail and agriculture each had around6 million. Healthcare had the lowest figure, at approximately 3 million jobs. By 1980, manufacturing had risen to 20 million, its highest point. Retail also increased to 10 million, while agriculture fell to about 3 million. Healthcare rose slightly to 5 million.

From 1980 to 2020, manufacturing declined steadily reaching about 13 million jobs. Meanwhile, retail continued to grow, reaching 15 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020. Healthcare also increased significantly, from 5 million to around 16 million. Agriculture remained almost unchanged at about 3 million until 2000, before falling slightly to 2 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data, highlighting the contrasting trajectories of the four sectors. The selection of data points is accurate, and you have made relevant comparisons between the sectors throughout the period. The information is well-structured, and the key features—such as the peak in manufacturing and the significant growth in healthcare—are clearly highlighted. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are described with absolute precision, as minor discrepancies in figures can occur when interpreting graphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the introduction to the overview and then the detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different time periods and trends. You have used a range of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'while' to link ideas smoothly. The flow of information is easy to follow, and the relationship between the different sectors is clearly articulated. The structure is coherent throughout, and the use of referencing is generally accurate and natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'decreased', 'increased considerably', 'overall decline', and 'remained almost unchanged'. The terminology is appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is accurate and functional, it is somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for growth and decline (e.g., 'witnessed a surge', 'experienced a downward trend', 'plateaued'). There is a minor typo in the first sentence ('tour' instead of 'four'), but this does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'While the manufacturing sector declined, the healthcare sector saw a significant rise.' Punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence structures are varied enough to maintain interest. There are very few errors, and those present do not interfere with the clarity of the message. The use of past tense to describe historical data is consistent and correct throughout the report.

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