Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-02
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 changes in the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy—manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare—between the 1960s and 2020.
Overall, employment in the healthcare and retail sectors increased considerably over the period, whereas the manufacturing and agricultural sectors experienced declines. Healthcare recorded the most significant growth, rising from one of the smallest employment sectors to one of the largest by 2020.
In the manufacturing sector, employment increased initially, reaching 20 million jobs in the 1980s. However, the number of jobs subsequently declined, falling to approximately 14 million by 2020. Agriculture followed a downward trend overall. It employed around 6 million people in the 1960s, after which employment gradually decreased over the period.
In contrast, healthcare experienced substantial growth throughout the period. The number of jobs increased from approximately 2 million in the 1960s to around 16 million in 2020. Similarly, employment in the retail sector rose steadily, from about 6 million jobs in the 1960s to approximately 15 million by 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
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 the sectors is well-handled, particularly the contrast between the declining sectors (manufacturing and agriculture) and the growing ones (healthcare and retail). The data points are accurately reported, and the overall structure ensures that the main trends are highlighted clearly. To reach a higher band, you could further refine the 'overview' by explicitly mentioning the final positions of the sectors in 2020, which would provide an even more comprehensive summary of the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a concise overview, and two body paragraphs that group the information thematically. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you have used cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Similarly', and 'However' effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows logically from one point to the next. The use of referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent throughout the text, making it very easy for the reader to follow the comparison of the four sectors.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information accurately. Phrases like 'experienced declines', 'recorded the most significant growth', and 'downward trend' are well-chosen and appropriate for an academic report. The vocabulary is precise and demonstrates a good level of control. While the range is adequate and effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common collocations related to data trends (e.g., 'surpassed', 'plateaued', or 'marginal') could elevate the response further. There are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response displays a good variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences that are used accurately. You have maintained a high level of grammatical control throughout the text. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant errors that cause confusion. The use of participial phrases and subordinating conjunctions shows a good command of grammar. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the few structures used are consistently accurate. To achieve a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as passive voice constructions or more varied introductory clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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