Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05
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 7.0)
The line graph shows information about changes in the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs in 1980, when it reached 20 million. In contrast, agriculture had the lowest figure in 2020. Retail and healthcare experienced significant growth throughout the period, whereas agriculture declined overall.
Looking in detail at manufacturing, there were 15 million jobs in 1960. This figure increased to 20 million in 1980, before decreasing to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Retail employment started at 6 million in 1960 and increased steadily to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000. It then rose slightly to 16 million in 2020.
Agriculture started at 6 million jobs in 1960 and fell to 3 million in 1980. This figure remained stable in 2000 before declining slightly to 2 million in 2020. Healthcare had the lowest figure in 1960, at just 2 million, but its employment increased steadily to 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response effectively covers all parts of the task. You have identified the main features and provided a clear overview of the trends. The comparison between sectors is well-handled, particularly the contrast between the growth of retail/healthcare and the decline of agriculture. The data is accurately reported, and the selection of key points—such as the peak of manufacturing in 1980 and the final figures in 2020—is appropriate. To reach a higher band, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant long-term shifts more explicitly, perhaps by noting that healthcare ended as the dominant sector, surpassing manufacturing by the end of the period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'whereas', and 'before decreasing' are used appropriately to link ideas and show relationships between the data points. The progression of information is smooth, moving from a general summary to specific details for each sector. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different sectors, which helps the reader follow the analysis without difficulty. The structure is clear and supports the overall message well.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends, such as 'experienced significant growth', 'increased steadily', and 'remained stable'. The terminology is accurate and appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' (e.g., 'witnessed a sharp rise', 'underwent a gradual decline', or 'fluctuated'). However, the current range is more than adequate for the task and conveys the information precisely.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The response demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'This figure increased to 20 million in 1980, before decreasing to 17 million in 2000'. The punctuation is accurate, and there are very few errors. The sentences are generally error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout. To move into the higher bands, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using participle clauses or more varied subordinating conjunctions to further enhance the flow of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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