Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

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

Overall, manufacturing initially had the highest number of jobs, but declined considerably after 1980. In contrast, employment in retail and healthcare increased steadily, while agriculture experienced a substantial long-term decline.

In 1960, manufacturing employed 15 million people, compared with 6 million in retail and agriculture combined, while healthcare accounted for only 2 million jobs. Manufacturing employment then rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before falling to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020.

Retail followed a consistent upward trend, increasing from 6 million jobs in 1960 to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000, before reaching 16 million in 2020. Healthcare grew even more dramatically, from 2 million to 16 million over the period. By contrast, agricultural employment fell from 6 million to just 2 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the main trends and selected key data points to support your summary. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly the contrast between the growth in healthcare and the decline in agriculture. The data is accurate and clearly presented. To reach a higher band, you could ensure that the 'main features' are even more explicitly highlighted, perhaps by noting the point at which healthcare overtook manufacturing, which would provide a more analytical perspective on the data provided in the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs that group information effectively by sector. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you make good use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'while', 'before', and 'By contrast' to link sentences and clauses. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows logically from the general overview to specific details. The use of referencing is clear, ensuring the reader can easily follow the comparisons being made throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'substantial long-term decline', 'consistent upward trend', and 'accounted for' are used accurately and appropriately for an academic report. The vocabulary is varied and helps to avoid repetition. While the range is good, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific terms related to economic trends could further enhance the lexical quality. Overall, the language is natural and precise, with no errors in word choice or spelling that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of participial phrases ('increasing from...', 'before reaching...') and comparative structures. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. The grammar is consistently accurate, allowing for clear and fluent communication. There are no significant grammatical errors, and the sentence structures are varied enough to maintain the reader's interest. The response is well-constructed and demonstrates a high level of grammatical competence.

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