Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)
The line graph illustrates the number of jobs, measured in millions, in four sectors of the US economy—manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare—from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, manufacturing was the largest employer at the beginning of the period, but its figure declined after reaching a peak in 1980. In contrast, employment in retail and healthcare increased considerably, with both sectors having approximately 16 million jobs by 2020. Agriculture experienced a gradual decline and became the smallest sector.
In 1960, manufacturing employed about 15 million people, compared with roughly 6 million in retail and agriculture. Healthcare had the lowest figure, at only 2 million. Manufacturing employment then rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980 before falling to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020.
Retail followed a completely different trend. Its employment figure increased steadily from 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980, before reaching 15 million in 2000 and approximately 16 million in 2020. Similarly, healthcare experienced substantial growth, rising from just 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980 and 11 million in 2000. By 2020, it had reached around 16 million jobs.
By contrast, agriculture fell from about 6 million jobs in 1960 to 3 million in 1980. It remained stable at around 3 million in 2000 before declining slightly to approximately 2 million in 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 successfully selected key data points to support your descriptions. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly the contrast between the declining manufacturing/agriculture sectors and the growth in retail and healthcare. The information is accurate and covers the entire period from 1960 to 2020. The structure is logical, and the key features are highlighted appropriately, meeting the requirements for a high band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from the introduction and overview to specific sectoral trends. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'By contrast' are used effectively to link ideas and guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different trends, ensuring the information is easy to follow. The flow of information is logical and consistent throughout the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'experienced a gradual decline', 'substantial growth', and 'reached a peak' demonstrate a good command of academic language suitable for describing data. The word choice is natural and accurate throughout the text. While the vocabulary is effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated synonyms or collocations could further enhance the lexical variety, but the current range is already quite strong and precise.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The writing displays a high level of grammatical control. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Manufacturing employment then rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980 before falling to 17 million in 2000'. Punctuation is accurate, and there are virtually no grammatical errors. The sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent. The complexity of the structures used is appropriate for this task type.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.