Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-07

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 8.0)

The line graph illustrates changes in the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, employment in retail and healthcare increased throughout the period, whereas agriculture declined. Manufacturing initially grew before falling after 1980. By 2020, retail and healthcare had the highest employment figures among the four sectors.

In 1960, manufacturing employed 15 million people, compared with 6 million in retail. Manufacturing peaked at 20 million in 1980 before declining to 17 million in 2000 and approximately 13 million in 2020. In contrast, retail employment rose steadily from 6 million to 10 million, then reached 15 million in 2000 and 16 million by 2020.

Healthcare also experienced strong growth, rising from 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020. Meanwhile, agriculture fell from 6 million to 3 million, remained stable, and finally reached 2 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively addresses the task by identifying the main trends and providing a clear overview. You have successfully highlighted the key features, such as the growth in retail and healthcare and the decline in agriculture. The data is accurately selected and compared, with specific figures used to support the descriptions. The overview is concise and captures the essence of the graph. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently highlight the most significant comparisons, such as the point where healthcare overtook manufacturing, which would provide a more analytical perspective rather than just listing data points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information by sector trends. The progression of ideas is smooth, and cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'throughout the period' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows logically from the general trends to the specific data points. The use of referencing is clear, and the structure supports the reader's understanding of the data without any confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends accurately, such as 'illustrates', 'peaked', 'declining', and 'rose steadily'. The language is precise and appropriate for an academic report. While the vocabulary is accurate and functional, it is somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms to describe changes, such as 'experienced a downward trajectory' instead of 'declined' or 'surged' instead of 'rose'. However, the current range is more than adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as the use of 'whereas' and 'before' to combine clauses. The grammar is largely error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly. The control over tense is consistent, appropriately using the past tense to describe the historical data. The sentences are clear and easy to follow, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The accuracy is high, reflecting a strong grasp of English grammar.

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

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