Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy—Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare—from 1960 to 2020, with figures given in millions.

Overall, Retail and Healthcare experienced significant growth over the period, with both sectors reaching 16 million jobs by 2020. In contrast, Manufacturing increased initially before declining steadily, while Agriculture generally decreased, despite remaining stable between 1980 and 2000.

In 1960, Manufacturing was the largest employer, with 15 million jobs. This figure rose considerably to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before falling to 17 million in 2000 and declining further to 13 million by 2020. Despite this decrease, Manufacturing remained the largest sector in 2020 except for Retail and Healthcare, which both stood at 16 million.

Retail followed a consistent upward trend throughout the period. Starting at 6 million jobs in 1960, employment increased to 10 million in 1980 and then rose to 15 million in 2000, before reaching 16 million in 2020. Healthcare experienced an even more substantial increase, beginning at just 2 million jobs in 1960. It grew to 5 million in 1980 and then increased sharply to 11 million in 2000, eventually reaching 16 million in 2020.

Meanwhile, Agriculture declined overall. It began with 6 million jobs in 1960, equal to Retail, but fell by half to 3 million in 1980. Employment then remained unchanged at 3 million in 2000 before declining slightly to just 2 million in 2020, making it the smallest sector at the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response is excellent and fully addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the trends and effectively selected key data points to support your descriptions. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly in how you contrast the growth of Retail and Healthcare with the decline of Agriculture and the fluctuating trend of Manufacturing. The data is accurate, and the report is well-structured, ensuring that all four sectors are covered comprehensively. You have successfully highlighted the main features as required by the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a concise overview, and well-structured body paragraphs. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the data, which aids readability. You use a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'Despite this decrease', to link ideas and create a smooth flow. The progression of information is logical, moving from the general overview to specific details for each sector. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different trends.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic report. Phrases such as 'experienced significant growth', 'consistent upward trend', and 'declining steadily' show a good command of collocation and style. You avoid repetition by using varied terminology to describe trends. The vocabulary is precise and contributes to the clarity of the report, with no noticeable errors in word choice or spelling that would impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences and varied clause types. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. You use a mix of simple and complex forms effectively to convey information about the trends. There are no significant grammatical errors, and the writing is fluent and accurate throughout. The use of tense is consistent and appropriate for describing historical data.

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