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 line graph provided illustrates details about the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy from 1960 to 2020. Overall, the number of vacancies in the manufacturing and the agriculture sectors declined from their initial figures, while the retail and the healthcare departments experienced a surge throughout the period.

In 1960, the manufacturing sector had 15 million jobs available, and this number further increased by 5 million to reach 20 million by 1980. However, since then this figure continued to fall and finally became approximately 13 million. Moreover, the agriculture and the retail sectors had the same number of available jobs initially, but both of them showed distinct growth over the period. In 1960, both of these sectors had a little over 5 million jobs, but the number of jobs available in the retail sector went up significantly over the years, reaching 15 million in 2000 and finally settling just over 15 million in 2020. On the other hand, the agriculture department jobs experienced a decline by falling to around 3 million in 1980. Later, this remained unchanged till the year 2000, but following this the number further decreased to reach 2 million in 2020. Lastly, the healthcare sector showed a considerable growth in terms of job availability. In 1960, this sector started off with around 2 million jobs and eventually grew at a steady pace to just surpass 10 million jobs by 2000. By 2020, the number of jobs available in this sector reached up to a little over 15 million, which is the equal to the number of available jobs in the retail sector at that time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively covers all parts of the task. You have identified the main trends and provided relevant data points to support your descriptions. The overview clearly contrasts the declining sectors (manufacturing and agriculture) with the growing ones (retail and healthcare). The information is well-selected, and the comparisons between sectors are accurate. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are precise; for instance, describing the manufacturing sector's peak as '20 million' is good, but ensure the final figure is clearly linked to the graph's visual data. Overall, the response is well-structured and fulfills the requirements of an Academic Task 1 report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a logical progression of ideas. You use cohesive devices such as 'However,' 'Moreover,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Lastly' effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sectors. The flow of information is smooth, and referencing is clear throughout the text. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the structure supports the overall clarity of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'initial figures,' 'experienced a surge,' 'distinct growth,' and 'steady pace' are used appropriately in the context of describing trends. There is an awareness of style and collocation, and the vocabulary is varied enough to avoid repetition. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the task well, incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common lexical items related to economic trends could elevate the score further. Overall, the language is natural and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good variety of complex structures, such as 'while the retail and the healthcare departments experienced a surge' and 'which is the equal to the number of available jobs.' The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over grammar and punctuation is strong. There are no significant errors that impede communication. The use of tense is consistent, and the sentence construction is varied, showing a good command of English grammar. The occasional minor slip does not detract from the overall high quality of the writing.

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