Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-22
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 graph illustrates employment trends in four main economic sectors of the US, namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare, between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, employment trends varied considerably across the four sectors over the 60-year period. Healthcare experienced the most substantial growth and had the highest number of jobs by 2020. In contrast, agriculture declined steadily, while retail followed an upward trend. Manufacturing increased initially before experiencing a prolonged decline.
Employment in the manufacturing sector rose from 15 million jobs in 1960 to 20 million in 1990, after which it declined steadily to the end of the period. In contrast, the retail sector started at approximately 6 million jobs in 1960 and increased sharply until 2000, after which the figure changed only marginally.
Agricultural employment also stood at around 6 million in 1960. However, it declined to approximately 3.5 million by 1990, remained unchanged until 2000, and then fell further to a low of around 2.5 million in 2020.
Healthcare, meanwhile, recorded the most significant increase. Employment in this sector rose from just 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1990, before increasing dramatically to 11 million in 2000 and reaching a peak of approximately 16 million by 2020.
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 provided a clear overview of the main trends and selected key data points to support your descriptions. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, such as noting the contrast between the growth in healthcare and the decline in agriculture. The information is accurate and covers the entire period from 1960 to 2020. To reach the highest band, ensure that the 'main features' are highlighted even more distinctly in the overview, perhaps by explicitly contrasting the most dominant sector at the start versus the end of the period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information by sector. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'meanwhile', and 'after which' to link sentences and clauses effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different trends. The flow of information is natural and easy to follow throughout the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'varied considerably', 'prolonged decline', and 'increased sharply' show an ability to use precise language to describe trends. There is a consistent use of topic-specific vocabulary related to economic sectors. The control of word choice is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. To improve further, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or nuanced reporting verbs.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The writing displays a good range of complex structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('after which it declined steadily') and participial phrases. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and tense usage is strong. The grammar is consistently accurate, which allows the reader to focus entirely on the data being presented. There are no noticeable grammatical slips, reflecting a high level of accuracy.
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