Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-27
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 how many jobs are available in Manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare sectors in the USA from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, the number of jobs in manufacturing and agricultural sectors displayed a downward trend by the end, while retail and healthcare jobs showed an upward trend. Manufacturing recorded the highest figures for most of the period.
In 1960, the number of jobs in manufacturing field stood at around 15 million, which then rose to 20 million in 1980 before declining steadily to roughly 13 million by 2020. Meanwhile, agriculture experienced a gradual decline from nearly 6 million in 1960 to approximately 3 million in 1980. This figure then remained stable until 2000, followed by a mere drop to 2 million by the end.
In contrast, retail accounted for 5 million jobs in 1960, which then climbed and surpassed manufacturing to end at roughly 16 million by 2020, representing the highest figures. Similarly, healthcare represented the lowest figure in 1960, accounting for around 2 million employments. This figure then went up continuously and overtook agriculture and manufacturing to reach a peak of nearly 16 million by 2020, matching the level of retail.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
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 selected key features to support your summary. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly the observation that retail and healthcare overtook manufacturing by 2020. The data is accurately reported, and the main trends—downward for manufacturing and agriculture, and upward for retail and healthcare—are clearly identified. To reach a higher band, ensure that the distinction between the 'peak' and the 'end' is consistently precise, as you noted healthcare reached a peak of 16 million, which matches the end point of retail.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors by their trends. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'In contrast', and 'Similarly' are used effectively to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the declining sectors from the growing ones. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow throughout the text. The use of referencing is generally clear, ensuring that the reader can easily track which sector is being discussed in each sentence.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'displayed a downward trend', 'gradual decline', 'remained stable', and 'climbed'. The use of 'surpassed' and 'overtook' demonstrates a good grasp of comparative language. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task, it remains somewhat functional. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'figures' and 'jobs' (e.g., 'employment levels', 'workforce numbers', or 'sectoral distribution') to demonstrate a more flexible and precise range of lexical items.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'In 1960, the number of jobs in manufacturing field stood at around 15 million, which then rose to 20 million...'. Punctuation is generally accurate, and there are very few errors. While the grammar is strong, the range of complex structures could be further expanded to include more varied subordinate clauses or passive constructions to enhance the sophistication of the writing. The current level of accuracy is high, with only minor slips that do not impede communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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