Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-26

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 compares the number of jobs in four different sectors of the US economy, measured in millions, from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, manufacturing was the highest employer in the early years but declined after reaching a peak in 1980. In contrast, retail and healthcare experienced steady growth throughout the period. While agriculture showed a continuous downward trend and became the smallest sector by the end of the period.

In 1960, manufacturing provided around 15 million jobs, compared to around 6 million in retail and agriculture. Healthcare employed the fewest people, at only 2 million. By 1980, manufacturing had increased significantly to approximately 20 million jobs, its highest point. During the same period, retail rose to 10 million, while healthcare climbed to 5 million. Agriculture, however, fell sharply to around 3 million.

From 1980 onwards, employment in manufacturing gradually declined to roughly 13 million by the end of the period. Retail continued to grow, reaching 15 million in 2000 and about 16 million by the end of the period. Healthcare also expanded steadily, reaching around 12 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020. Meanwhile, agriculture remained in the downward path, ending at only 2 million by the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, and the key features—such as the peak of manufacturing in 1980 and the steady growth of healthcare—are accurately highlighted. You have successfully selected relevant data points to support your descriptions. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully explicit; for instance, you could further emphasize the contrast between the declining sectors and the growth sectors by using more comparative language throughout the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving chronologically from 1960 to 2020. You use a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'While', 'During the same period', and 'Meanwhile'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the initial state from the subsequent trends. The referencing is generally clear, though the final sentence 'ending at only 2 million by the period' is slightly awkward; 'by the end of the period' would have been more precise. Overall, the flow is natural and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report, using terms like 'declined', 'steady growth', 'continuous downward trend', and 'expanded steadily'. The word choice is generally precise and fits the context of economic data well. There are no significant spelling errors, and the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common synonyms to demonstrate greater flexibility, such as using 'plummeted' for sharp declines or 'surged' for rapid growth, rather than relying on 'increased' or 'fell'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'While agriculture showed a continuous downward trend and became the smallest sector...'. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to support clarity. There are minor slips, such as the fragment 'While agriculture showed a continuous downward trend and became the smallest sector by the end of the period,' which lacks a main clause. However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. Your control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text.

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