Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-30

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 line graph illustrates the number of jobs, measured in millions, in four sectors of the US economy—manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare—from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, employment in retail and healthcare increased considerably over the period, while the number of agricultural jobs declined. Manufacturing experienced some fluctuation, reaching a peak in 1980 before falling substantially. By 2020, retail and healthcare had the highest employment figures, whereas agriculture had the lowest.

In 1960, manufacturing was the largest employer, with approximately 15 million jobs. This figure rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before declining to around 17 million in 2000 and then falling further to 13 million in 2020. Agriculture, in contrast, started at about 6 million jobs in 1960. Its figure dropped to approximately 3 million in 1980 and remained unchanged in 2000, before decreasing slightly to around 2 million at the end of the period.

Retail employment followed an upward trend throughout the period. Starting at roughly 6 million jobs in 1960, it increased to 10 million in 1980 and approximately 15 million in 2000, before reaching about 16 million in 2020. Healthcare showed the most dramatic growth. It began at only 2 million jobs in 1960, rose to 5 million in 1980 and then climbed sharply to around 11 million in 2000. By 2020, healthcare employment had reached approximately 16 million, matching the figure for retail.

AI examiner evaluation

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 successfully selected and reported the main features, such as the peak in manufacturing and the dramatic growth in healthcare. The comparisons between sectors are well-integrated, particularly the observation that healthcare and retail reached similar levels by 2020. The data is accurately represented, and the information is logically grouped, ensuring the reader gets a comprehensive summary of the graph's key information. No significant omissions were noted, and the response is well-focused throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overall summary, and two body paragraphs detailing specific trends. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'while', and 'before' are used effectively to link ideas and show relationships between the data points. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is smooth, making the text easy to follow. The referencing is clear, and the structure supports the overall argument without any mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have demonstrated a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task. Phrases like 'illustrates the number of jobs', 'experienced some fluctuation', and 'dramatic growth' are used accurately and naturally. The vocabulary is precise enough to convey the trends without ambiguity. While the range is sufficient and effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific synonyms could elevate the response further. There are no spelling errors, and the word choice is consistently appropriate for the context of describing statistical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a high level of grammatical control. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'This figure rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before declining to around 17 million in 2000'. Punctuation is used correctly to manage complex clauses, and there are virtually no grammatical errors. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text. The writing is clear, accurate, and demonstrates a strong command of English syntax.

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