Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04
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 compares the number of jobs across four US economic sectors—Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, and Agriculture—from 1960 to 2020, measured in millions.
Overall, Healthcare and Retail experienced consistent growth over the 60-year period, while employment in Agriculture steadily declined. Manufacturing initially grew, but ultimately saw a significant downturn, losing its position as the largest sector.
In 1960, Manufacturing was the dominant employer, with 15 million jobs. This number peaked at 20 million in 1980 before declining steadily to around 13 million by 2020. Conversely, Retail started at 6 million in 1960 and grew continuously, reaching 10 million in 1980 and matching Manufacturing at approximately 16 million in 2020.
Healthcare displayed the most rapid growth, rising sharply from a low of 2 million in 1960 to equal Retail at 16 million by 2020. In contrast, Agriculture began at 6 million in 1960, dropped to 3 million in 1980, and ended as the smallest sector with under 2 million jobs
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 requirements of the task. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the growth in Healthcare and Retail and the decline in Agriculture and Manufacturing. The overview is clear and provides a concise summary of the trends. You have made relevant comparisons, such as noting when sectors crossed or matched each other (e.g., Retail and Healthcare reaching 16 million). The data is accurately reported, and the selection of information is appropriate for a summary. To reach a higher band, ensure that all key data points are fully integrated into the narrative flow rather than just listing figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used a standard structure: an introduction, a clear overview, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors logically. Cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'In contrast', and 'while' are used effectively to signal shifts in trends and comparisons between sectors. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. The flow of information is smooth, and the reader can easily follow the development of the trends over the 60-year period.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You have demonstrated a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an Academic Task 1 report. Phrases like 'consistent growth', 'significant downturn', 'dominant employer', and 'rising sharply' show a good command of descriptive language. The vocabulary is precise and helps convey the trends accurately. There are no spelling errors, and the word choices are natural and fit the context of economic reporting. To move to a higher band, you could incorporate a few more sophisticated collocations or synonyms to describe the rates of change, such as 'marginal decline' or 'exponential growth'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('while employment in Agriculture steadily declined') and participial phrases ('losing its position as the largest sector'). The grammar is highly accurate, with no significant errors that impede communication. Punctuation is used correctly throughout the text. The majority of your sentences are error-free, which demonstrates strong control over your writing. The use of tense is consistent and appropriate for describing historical data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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