Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11

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 illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, employment in the retail and healthcare sectors showed an upward trend, while manufacturing experienced a significant decline after reaching a peak. Meanwhile, the number of agricultural jobs decreased steadily. Retail had the highest number of jobs at the beginning of the period, whereas agriculture had the lowest throughout most of the period.

From 1960 to 2020, employment in retail stood at 6 million jobs, while healthcare was slightly lower at 3 million. The number of retail jobs then increased sharply to 10 million and continued to rise to 15 million, reaching 16 million by the end of the period. Similarly, healthcare employment rose from 3 million to 5 million and then increased significantly to 11 million, before finally reaching 16 million, the same level as retail.

Turning to manufacturing and agriculture, manufacturing started at 15 million jobs in 1960 and increased to 20 million in 1980. It then declined to 17 million in 2000 and fell further to 14 million in 2020. In contrast, agriculture stood at 6 million jobs in 1960, fell to 3 million in 1980, and then declined further to 2 million in 2000 and just 1 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have provided a clear and accurate summary of the main trends in the graph. You successfully identified the key features, such as the upward trajectory of retail and healthcare and the decline in manufacturing and agriculture. The comparisons are relevant and well-integrated. To reach a higher band, ensure that you avoid minor inaccuracies in data reporting; for example, you stated that retail started at 6 million in 1960, whereas the graph shows it starting closer to 3 million. Additionally, ensure that all data points mentioned are clearly supported by the visual evidence provided to maintain full accuracy throughout the report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs that group the sectors effectively. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Similarly', 'Turning to', and 'In contrast' helps the reader follow the progression of ideas smoothly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the growing sectors from the declining ones. The flow is natural, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'upward trend', 'significant decline', 'increased sharply', and 'steadily'. The language is precise enough to convey the information clearly. To improve further, try to incorporate a wider variety of less common collocations or more sophisticated synonyms for 'increased' and 'decreased' to avoid repetition. For instance, using terms like 'surged', 'plummeted', or 'gradual contraction' would enhance the lexical sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

Your writing displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is generally accurate, and your control over punctuation is solid. Most sentences are error-free, and the few minor slips do not impede communication. You have used a variety of structures to compare the data, which shows good control. To aim for a higher band, ensure that you maintain consistent tense usage and continue to experiment with more complex subordinate clauses to demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

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