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 illustrates changes in the number of jobs in four sectors of US economy from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, the number of jobs in manufacturing increased initially before declining, while employment in retail and health care rose considerably. In contrast, agriculture experienced an overall fall throughout the period.
Firstly, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs in 1960, at 15 million, and this figure increased to a peak of 20 million in 1980. However, employment in this sector then fell steadily, reaching approximately 13 million by 2020. Agriculture, meanwhile, started at around 6 million jobs in 1960 and declined to approximately 3 million in 1980. it remained at this level until 2000 before falling further to about 2 million in 2020.
In contrast, employment in retail and healthcare increased gradually over the period. The number of retail jobs rose from approximately 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980, before reaching 15 million in 2000 and around 16 million in 2020. Healthcare experienced an even more significant increase, from just 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980. This figure then more than double to 11 million in 2000 and reached approximately 16 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 | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively identifies and reports the main features of the graph. You have successfully highlighted the key trends for all four sectors and made relevant comparisons, such as contrasting the growth in retail and healthcare with the decline in agriculture. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the overall patterns. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are described with maximum precision; for instance, the peak for manufacturing is clearly identified, and the trends are well-supported by the figures provided. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast,' 'meanwhile,' and 'however' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the declining sectors from the growing ones, which aids readability. The progression of ideas is smooth, and referencing is clear throughout the text. The structure is coherent and follows a logical sequence that makes the information easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for describing trends, such as 'increased initially,' 'declining,' 'rose considerably,' and 'fell steadily.' The use of 'significant increase' and 'at a peak' adds precision to your descriptions. While the vocabulary is accurate and sufficient for the task, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would elevate the response further. There are no spelling errors, and the word choice is consistently natural and precise throughout the report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the control of grammar is generally strong. There is a minor error in the final paragraph ('This figure then more than double to 11 million'), where the verb tense should be 'doubled.' Additionally, there is a minor punctuation/capitalization slip at the start of a sentence ('it remained at this level'). Despite these rare slips, the majority of the writing is accurate, and the grammatical control is sufficient to support clear communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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