Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors, namely Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, and Healthcare of the US economy, over the period of sixty years from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, employment in manufacturing and agriculture declined over the period, whereas retail and, most strikingly, healthcare grew substantially. As a result, the sector that dominated in 1960 was overtaken by the end.

In 1960, manufacturing was by far the largest employer, with around 15 million jobs, and it continued to rise to a peak of roughly 20 million by 1980. After that, however, it fell steadily, dropping to about 13 million by 2020. Agriculture, meanwhile, was already small at 6 million in 1960 and shrank further to just 2 million, remaining the smallest sector throughout.

The rising sectors told the opposite story. Retail climbed steadily from 6 million to around 16 million, while healthcare showed the most dramatic growth of all, soaring from just 2 million in 1960 to roughly 16 million by 2020. By the end of the period, retail and healthcare had become the joint-largest employers, each overtaking a much-reduced manufacturing sector.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response is excellent and fully addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview that highlights the main trends, such as the decline in manufacturing and agriculture versus the growth in retail and healthcare. The selection of data is accurate, and you have made relevant comparisons, such as noting that retail and healthcare became the joint-largest employers by the end of the period. The information is well-supported with specific figures from the graph, and the structure allows for a logical progression of ideas. You have successfully identified the key features without unnecessary detail, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a summary paragraph, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors by their trends (declining vs. rising). Cohesive devices are used effectively and naturally, such as 'whereas', 'as a result', 'meanwhile', and 'by the end of the period'. Paragraphing is used skillfully to separate the different trends, which helps the reader follow the argument easily. There is a clear progression throughout the response, and referencing is precise, ensuring that the relationships between the different sectors are always clear.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You have demonstrated a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary, which is used with natural control. Phrases such as 'most strikingly', 'soaring', 'joint-largest employers', and 'much-reduced' show a high level of lexical flexibility. The word choices are precise and appropriate for an academic report. There are no noticeable errors in spelling or word choice, and the vocabulary is varied enough to avoid repetition, even when describing similar trends across different sectors. This level of lexical resource is consistent with the requirements for a high band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with subordinate clauses and varied sentence beginnings. The accuracy is very high, with the majority of sentences being error-free. You have used a variety of tenses correctly to describe past trends and the state of the economy at the end of the period. Punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of information. There are no significant grammatical errors, and the control over complex structures is consistent throughout the text.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.