Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-24
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 graph provides information about the number of jobs in manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare sectors of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, it is clear from the graph the number of jobs in healthcare sector showed consistent growth while retail employment rose steadily until around 2000 before plateauing and slightly declining thereafter. In addition, manufacturing and agriculture experienced a long term decline in jobs.
In 1960, manufacturing was the largest employer among the four sectors, with approximately 15 million jobs. It peaked at around 20 million in 1980, after which it fell steadily to roughly 13 million in 2020. In contrast, agriculture started with about 6 million jobs in 1960 and fell sharply to just under 2 million by 2020.
Healthcare began with the fewest jobs around 2 million in 1960 after that it rose gradually to approximately 5 million jobs in 1980. After 1980, it climbed dramatically to near around 16 million jobs by 2020. Meanwhile, retail employment accounted 6 million jobs in 1960 from which it increased significantly to 15 million jobs in 2000. By the end of the period, this figure increased slightly to 16 million jobs.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends for all four sectors and provided relevant data points to support your descriptions. The overview is clear and highlights the key differences between the sectors, such as the growth in healthcare versus the decline in agriculture and manufacturing. You have successfully made comparisons, such as noting that manufacturing was the largest employer in 1960 while healthcare started with the fewest. The information is accurate and well-selected, providing a comprehensive summary of the graph's data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'After 1980' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the different trends. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between the sectors is clearly established. The structure is coherent, and the information flows logically from one point to the next without any confusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'consistent growth', 'rose steadily', 'plateauing', 'long term decline', and 'climbed dramatically'. The word choice is generally precise and appropriate for an academic report. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated synonyms or collocations could elevate the response further, but the current range is more than adequate for the task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There are a few minor slips, such as 'accounted 6 million jobs' (missing 'for') and 'near around' (redundant phrasing). However, these errors are infrequent and do not hinder the reader's understanding. You demonstrate good control over tense usage, consistently using the past tense to describe the historical data provided in the graph. Punctuation is generally handled well throughout the text.
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