Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)
The line graph compares job numbers across four economic sectors in the US from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, employment in healthcare and retail experienced steady growth, whereas agriculture and manufacturing saw overall declines by the end of the period. Healthcare replaced manufacturing as the sector with the highest number of jobs by 2020.
In 1960, manufacturing was the largest sector with 15 million jobs. It peaked at 20 million in 1980 before steadily declining to 13 million in 2020. Conversely, agriculture started at 6 million jobs in 1960, dropped to 3 million in 1980, and gradually decreased to 2 million by 2020, remaining the lowest overall.
Retail and healthcare both showed upward trends over the 60-year period. Retail jobs grew continuously from 6 million in 1960 to 15 million in 2000, stabilizing at 16 million by 2020. Healthcare recorded the most significant rise, starting as the lowest sector with 2 million jobs in 1960, then rising consistently to equal retail at 16 million in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have provided a clear overview of the trends and successfully selected key features to illustrate the changes in the four sectors. The comparison between sectors is well-integrated, particularly the observation regarding healthcare overtaking manufacturing. The data is accurately reported, and the structure allows for a logical progression of information. To reach a higher band, you could aim to group the sectors more dynamically in the body paragraphs, perhaps contrasting the two declining sectors with the two growing ones more explicitly to enhance the analytical quality of the report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is well-organized with a clear introduction, a concise overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data logically. Cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'whereas', and 'in addition' (implied through structure) are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the declining sectors from the growing ones. The flow of information is smooth, and referencing is clear throughout. The progression of ideas is logical, and the use of cohesive devices is neither mechanical nor overused, meeting the criteria for a high band.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information precisely. Terms such as 'steady growth', 'upward trends', 'peaked', and 'stabilizing' are used accurately in the context of describing trends. The vocabulary is natural and appropriate for an academic report. While the range is good, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items related to economic trends could elevate the score further. However, the current usage is precise and error-free, which is commendable.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'Healthcare replaced manufacturing as the sector with the highest number of jobs by 2020.' The punctuation is accurate, and there are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense usage (past simple for historical data) is consistent and correct. To achieve a higher score, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex structures, such as participle clauses or passive voice constructions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.