Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

The line graph illustrates how employment levels (in millions) evolved across four US economic sectors — Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, and Healthcare — between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the data reveals a structural economic shift: Manufacturing declined after peaking in 1980, while Healthcare and Retail grew steadily, with Agriculture remaining minimal and stable post-1980.

In 1960, Manufacturing employed 15 million workers — the highest of all sectors — rising to 20 million by 1980 before falling sharply to 13 million by 2020. Conversely, Healthcare started at only 2 million but surged dramatically after 1980, reaching 16 million — an eightfold increase — effectively matching Retail, which climbed consistently from 6 million to 16 million over the period. Agriculture, meanwhile, dropped from 6 million to 3 million by 1980 and then plateaued, showing no significant change thereafter.

This trend underscores a pronounced transition from industrial to service-oriented employment, accentuating the burgeoning dominance of Healthcare and Retail, juxtaposed with the contraction of traditional sectors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent and fully addresses all parts of the task. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the decline in Manufacturing and the significant growth in Healthcare and Retail. The inclusion of an overview that highlights the structural economic shift is a key strength, as it provides a clear summary of the trends. You have also made relevant comparisons, such as noting that Healthcare and Retail reached the same level by 2020. The data is accurately reported, and the selection of information is highly effective for a task of this nature.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose: the introduction sets the context, the overview provides the main trends, and the body paragraphs detail the specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'meanwhile', and 'this trend underscores' are used naturally and effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is skillful, and the information flows smoothly from one point to the next, making the text very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary. The use of terms like 'structural economic shift', 'surged dramatically', 'plateaued', 'burgeoning dominance', and 'juxtaposed' shows a high level of lexical control. These choices are not only accurate but also enhance the academic tone of the report. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is used with precision to describe the trends in the graph.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The grammatical range is impressive, featuring a variety of complex structures, such as participial phrases ('effectively matching Retail') and well-constructed subordinate clauses. The sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to manage the flow of information. You have maintained a high level of accuracy throughout the response, demonstrating a sophisticated command of English grammar that is appropriate for an academic task.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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