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 illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy, namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare, between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs in 1960 and 1980, but its figure declined considerably after 1980. In contrast, employment in retail and healthcare increased over the period. Agriculture experienced a gradual decline and had the lowest number of jobs by 2020.

In 1960, manufacturing employed approximately 15 million people, making it the largest sector. This figure rose to 20 million in 1980, before falling to around 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Retail, meanwhile, increased steadily from about 6 million jobs in 1960 to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000. By 2020, it had risen slightly further to approximately 16 million.

Healthcare showed the most significant growth. Starting at only around 2 million jobs in 1960, employment in this sector increased to 5 million in 1980, before reaching approximately 11 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020.

Agriculture followed the opposite trend. It fell from around 6 million jobs in 1960 to about 3 million in 1980 and remained at roughly the same level in 2000. By 2020, the number had decreased further to approximately 2 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have clearly identified the main features and trends for all four sectors. The overview is well-constructed, highlighting the key shifts in manufacturing and the contrasting growth in healthcare and retail. You have successfully selected relevant data points to support your descriptions, such as the specific figures for manufacturing in 1960 and 1980. The comparison between sectors is clear and consistent throughout the report. The information is accurate based on the provided graph, and the response is well-balanced, ensuring no single sector is neglected. This is a very strong performance that fully meets the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, a concise overview, and separate body paragraphs for each sector or group of sectors. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'meanwhile', and 'followed the opposite trend' is effective and natural. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, making the information easy to follow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the data. The referencing is precise, and there is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive linking. The overall structure is coherent and facilitates a clear understanding of the data presented.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends accurately, such as 'declined considerably', 'increased steadily', and 'significant growth'. The terminology is precise and appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it could be further elevated to reach the highest band by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items. However, the current range is more than adequate for the task, and there are no errors in word choice or spelling that impede communication. The language used is natural and fits the context of describing economic data well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of participial phrases ('making it the largest sector') and subordinate clauses ('before falling to around 17 million'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over grammar and punctuation is consistent throughout the text. There are no significant grammatical errors that distract the reader or cause confusion. The use of tense is accurate, appropriately maintaining the past tense to describe historical data. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of grammatical control, which is appropriate for this level of task.

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