Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03

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 tracks the changes in the number of jobs across the manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare sectors in the US, from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, while the manufacturing sector employed the most people in the earlier decades, it fell towards the end and was overtaken by the retail and the healthcare sector, which saw gradual progress. Employment in the agriculture sector also witnessed a decline over the years.

To begin with, the manufacturing sector began as the largest employer in 1960, employing 15 million people, whereas retail had only approximately 6 million jobs. Both the sectors witnessed a sharp rise in 1980, with manufacturing jobs reaching their peak at 20 million and the retail sector recording 10 million jobs. While the manufacturing sector declined steeply over the years reaching its lowest point at 13 million jobs in 2020, the retail sector showed a gradual increase, overtaking the manufacturing sector between 2000 and 2020, becoming the most employable sector, along with healthcare, in 2020 at around 16 million jobs.

The agriculture and the healthcare sector also showed similar patterns. Agriculture began at around 6 million jobs in 1960, whereas the healthcare sector started at approximately 2 million jobs, the lowest number on the graph. However, the jobs in the agriculture sector gradually declined over the course of the next 60 years, reaching 2.5 million jobs in 2020. By contrast, the healthcare sector saw a marked increase and overtook the agriculture sector between 1960 and 1980. The number of jobs grew rapidly from 5 million in 1980 to 11 million in 2000, and reached their highest point in 2020 at around 16 million jobs.

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 key data points to support your descriptions. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly the observation regarding the retail and healthcare sectors overtaking manufacturing. The data is accurately reported, and the main features are highlighted logically. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are precise; for instance, when mentioning that retail and healthcare became the 'most employable' sectors, ensure the distinction between their specific figures is clear if the graph allows for it. Overall, this is a very strong and comprehensive summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two distinct body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the manufacturing/retail trends to the agriculture/healthcare trends. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'by contrast', and 'however' are used effectively to link ideas and contrast information. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information within each paragraph is focused. The flow is natural, and the reader can easily follow the comparison of the four sectors over the 60-year period.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'witnessed a sharp rise', 'declined steeply', and 'marked increase' show an ability to use varied and precise language to describe trends. There is a minor issue with collocation, such as 'most employable sector', which is slightly unnatural in this context; 'largest employer' would be more accurate. However, the vocabulary is generally precise and contributes to a professional tone throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while the manufacturing sector declined... the retail sector showed...'). Grammar is generally accurate, with only very occasional minor slips, such as the slight inconsistency in subject-verb agreement when referring to 'the healthcare sector' as plural ('reached their highest point'). Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your sentences. The majority of your sentences are error-free, reflecting a high level of control over grammatical structures.

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