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 how employment levels evolved across four US economic sectors Manufacturing, Retail Agriculture and Healthcare between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, the data reveals a structural economic shift: Manufacturing declined after peaking in 1980, while Healthcare and Retail grew steadily with Agriculture remaining minimal and stable post 1980.

In 1960 Manufacturing employed 15 million workers the highest of all sectors rising to 20 million by 1980 before falling sharply to 13 million by 2020. Conversely Healthcare started at only 2 million but surged dramatically after 1980, reaching 16 million an eight fold increase effectively matching Retail, which climbed consistently from 6 million to 16 million over the period. Agriculture, meanwhile, dropped from 6 million to 3 million by 1980 and then plateaued, showing no significant change thereafter.

This trend underscores a pronounced transition from industrial to service oriented employment accentuating the burgeoning dominance of Healthcare and Retail with the contraction of traditional sector.

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 main trends and successfully selected key data points to support your summary. The comparison between the sectors is well-integrated, particularly the contrast between the decline of Manufacturing and the growth of Healthcare and Retail. The inclusion of specific figures (e.g., 15 million, 20 million, 13 million) demonstrates a good grasp of the data. The summary is accurate and highlights the structural shift in the US economy effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that all punctuation is precise, as there are some missing commas in your list of sectors in the introduction.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the general trend to specific sector details. Cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'meanwhile', and 'after which' are used appropriately to link sentences and ideas. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. The structure is clear and easy to follow, which is a hallmark of a high-scoring response. Ensure that you maintain consistent punctuation to avoid minor disruptions in flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report, such as 'evolved', 'structural economic shift', 'surged dramatically', and 'burgeoning dominance'. The use of 'eight-fold increase' and 'plateaued' shows a sophisticated command of language. There is a minor error in 'service oriented' (which should be hyphenated) and 'traditional sector' (which should be pluralized as 'traditional sectors'). However, these are minor slips that do not impede communication. The vocabulary is varied and precise enough to convey the trends accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of participial phrases ('accentuating the burgeoning dominance') and contrastive clauses. Most sentences are error-free, and the control of tense is consistent with the historical data provided. There are a few minor punctuation issues, such as missing commas in the list of sectors in the first paragraph and the lack of a hyphen in 'service-oriented'. Despite these small slips, the grammar is strong and supports clear communication throughout the text.

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