Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-08

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 compares employment numbers across four different economic sectors in the United States over a 60-year period, from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the retail and healthcare sectors experienced significant and sustain growth over the timeframe, ultimately emerging as the dominant sources of employment. Conversely, manufacturing and agriculture both witnessed a overall decline, despite manufacturing holding the highest number of jobs for the first half of the period.

In 1960, manufacturing was by far the largest employer, standing at 15 million jobs. It reached a peak of 20 million in 1980 before undergoing a steady downward trajectory, falling to 17 million in 2000, and dropping further to 13 million in 2020. In contrast, agriculture began from 6 million jobs in 1960 but plummeted to roughly 3 million by 1980. After maintaining this plateau until 2000, agricultural employment dwindled to under 2 million in 2020, remaining the lowest most of the period.

On the other hand, healthcare started as the smallest sector in 1960, accounting for just 2 million jobs. However, it underwent dramatic expansion, climbing steadily to 5 million in 1980 and 11 million in 2000. Meanwhile, the retail sector, which opened at roughly 6 million in 1960, mirrored this upward trend by rising to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000. By 2020, both retail and healthcare peaked and converged at approximately 16 million jobs each, jointly becoming the top employment sectors in the US.

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 trends, such as the growth in retail and healthcare versus the decline in manufacturing and agriculture. The overview is well-constructed, highlighting the key shifts in dominance over the 60-year period. You have successfully selected and reported the most significant data points to support your summary, making relevant comparisons throughout the text. The information is accurate and provides a clear picture of the economic changes described in the graph. No key features were omitted, and the response is well-balanced.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from an overview to specific sector analysis. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Conversely', 'In contrast', 'On the other hand', and 'Meanwhile', which help the reader follow the comparisons easily. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the declining sectors from the growing ones. The flow between sentences is smooth, and referencing is clear throughout the response, ensuring that the relationships between the different economic sectors are easy to track.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task. Phrases like 'steady downward trajectory', 'plummeted', 'dwindled', and 'dramatic expansion' show a strong ability to describe trends with precision. There are only very minor issues, such as 'sustain growth' (should be 'sustained growth') and 'a overall decline' (should be 'an overall decline'). These are minor slips that do not detract from the overall clarity or sophistication of your writing. You have successfully used less common lexical items to convey meaning effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses ('which opened at roughly 6 million in 1960') and participial phrases ('falling to 17 million in 2000'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over grammar and punctuation is strong. There are very occasional minor errors, such as 'lowest most of the period' (missing 'for' before 'most') and the previously mentioned article/adjective errors. These are infrequent and do not impede communication, reflecting a high level of grammatical control.

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