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 line graph illustrates the number of jobs, measured in millions, in four sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing was the leading employer at the beginning of the period but declined after reaching its highest point in 1980. In contrast, both retail and healthcare experienced steady growth, whereas agriculture showed a continuous downward trend.

Initially, manufacturing provided 15 million jobs. This figure increased to 20 million before falling to 17 million by 2000 and ending at 13 million in 2020. Meanwhile, retail employment grew consistently from 6 million to 10 million over the first two decades. It then rose further to 15 million and finally reached 16 million, becoming one of the largest sectors.

Healthcare followed a similar upward pattern. Starting with only 2 million jobs, the figure climbed to 5 million in 1980 and more than doubled to 11 million by 2000. By the end of the period, it had reached 16 million jobs. On the other hand, agriculture declined steadily from 6 million initially to only 2 million, making it the smallest employment sector.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the trends and successfully selected and reported the main features, such as the decline of manufacturing and the growth of healthcare and retail. The comparisons between sectors are relevant and well-integrated. The data is accurately represented, and the key features are highlighted without unnecessary detail. To reach a higher band, you could further synthesize the data by grouping sectors with similar trends more explicitly in the body paragraphs, which would enhance the analytical quality of the report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, and the transition between the overview and the detailed body paragraphs is smooth. You have used a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'On the other hand', which help the reader follow the comparisons easily. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow. The flow of information is natural and contributes to a coherent overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information accurately. Phrases like 'leading employer', 'continuous downward trend', and 'upward pattern' demonstrate a good command of topic-specific language. The vocabulary is precise and appropriate for an academic report. While the range is adequate, incorporating more sophisticated synonyms or varied collocations could elevate the response further. For example, instead of repeating 'jobs' or 'figure', you could use terms like 'employment levels', 'workforce', or 'positions' to demonstrate greater lexical flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good variety of sentence structures, including both simple and complex forms. The grammar is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. You have used a mix of past and present perfect tenses appropriately to describe the trends over the specified period. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. To achieve a higher band, you could aim for a wider range of complex structures, such as using more participial phrases or advanced subordinating conjunctions to link ideas more fluidly.

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

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