Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The line graph depicts data about the number of jobs in four different fields of economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, healthcare and retail saw a constant increase in the jobs over 60 years. Meanwhile, Manufacturing sector experienced an initial boost in the number of jobs up until 1980 and then a constant dip till 2020. Employment opportunities steadily decreased in agriculture sector .

In 1960, there were approximately 2.5 million jobs in healthcare which rose up to a little above 15 million in 2020. Retail also followed the same path and number of jobs grew from 6 million in 1960 to 16 million in 2020.

Job market in Manufacturing sector saw an initial surge from 15 million jobs to 20 million by 1980 and then came a sudden halt and the number decreased to almost 12 million in 2020. Jobs in agriculture however kept falling continuously in a stable manner from a little above 5 million to about 2 million over the span of 60 years

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully identifies the main trends and provides a clear overview. You have selected key features, such as the growth in healthcare and retail and the decline in agriculture, and supported these with relevant data points. The comparison between sectors is well-handled. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are precise; for instance, describing the manufacturing peak as '20 million' is accurate, but ensure the transition between periods is described with more nuance. Overall, the response covers all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs focusing on specific sectors. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices like 'Meanwhile', 'In 1960', and 'however' to link information effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the trends. The flow is natural, and the relationship between the different sectors is clearly established throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision, using terms like 'constant increase', 'initial surge', and 'steadily decreased'. There is an awareness of style appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or less common synonyms would elevate the response further. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally strong. There are minor issues, such as missing articles (e.g., 'in agriculture sector' should be 'in the agriculture sector') and occasional punctuation slips. However, these errors are infrequent and do not cause any difficulty for the reader. The variety of structures used is sufficient to support the clear communication of the data.

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