Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-25

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 the number of jobs in four different sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the number of jobs in the retail and healthcare sectors increased over the period, while employment in agriculture decreased. Manufacturing was the largest sector at the beginning, but its number of jobs declined after reaching a peak in 1980.

Initially, in 1960, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs, at around 15 million. The number of jobs in both retail and agriculture was approximately 6 million, while healthcare had the lowest figure of only 2 million. In 1980, manufacturing reached its highest point of 20 million jobs. Meanwhile, the number of jobs in retail and healthcare also increased to around 10 million and 5 million respectively. However, agricultural jobs decreased to approximately 3 million.

In the following years, the number of manufacturing jobs started to decline, reaching around 13 million in 2020. On the other hand, retail continued to increase and reached approximately 16 million jobs. Similarly, the healthcare sector experienced a significant increase from 2 million jobs in 1960 to around 16 million in 2020. In contrast, agriculture was the only sector that showed an overall decline, falling to about 2 million jobs at the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the four sectors. The data is accurately selected and reported, with relevant comparisons made between the sectors, such as noting that manufacturing was the largest sector initially while healthcare saw the most significant growth. The information is well-organised, and the key features are highlighted appropriately. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently highlight the most significant differences or intersections in the data, such as the point where retail and healthcare overtook manufacturing, to provide an even more analytical summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from an introduction and overview to specific details in chronological order. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'However', 'In the following years', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly throughout the text. The use of referencing is clear, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the data trends without any confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends accurately, such as 'increased', 'decreased', 'declined', 'peak', and 'significant increase'. The language is natural and appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is functional and precise, it remains somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms to describe trends, such as 'experienced a downward trend', 'surpassed', or 'remained relatively stable', which would demonstrate a more flexible and wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'Manufacturing was the largest sector at the beginning, but its number of jobs declined after reaching a peak in 1980.' Punctuation is accurate, and there are very few errors in the text. The sentence structures are varied and contribute to the clarity of the report. The grammar is consistent throughout, and there are no errors that impede communication. The control over tense usage is also accurate for describing historical data.

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