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 different sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.
In 1960, manufacturing provided 15 million jobs, which was the highest figure among all sectors. This number rose to 20 million in 1980 before falling to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Retail sector, on the other hand, increased steadily from 6 million jobs in 1960 to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000. It then reached approximately 16 million in 2020.
Healthcare had only 2 million jobs in 1960, but this figure grew significantly to 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020. Finally, agriculture declined from 6 million jobs in 1960 to 3 million in 1980. It remained stable at this level in 2000 before falling slightly to 2 million in 2020.
Overall, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs in 1960 and 1980, but its figure decreased considerably after 1980. In contrast, retail and healthcare experienced an overall increase, while agriculture showed a downward trend.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response covers all parts of the task well. You have successfully identified the main trends for each of the four sectors and provided relevant data points to support your descriptions. The overview is clear and effectively highlights the contrasting trajectories of the sectors, such as the decline in manufacturing versus the growth in healthcare and retail. To reach a higher band, ensure that you make more explicit comparisons between the sectors throughout the body paragraphs, rather than just listing the data for each one individually. Overall, the information is well-selected and accurately reported.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each sector, and a summary overview. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'In 1960', 'on the other hand', 'before falling', and 'In contrast' to link information effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related information. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between the different sectors is clearly established. The structure is coherent throughout, and the use of referencing is accurate, ensuring that the reader can easily track the data points provided.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision. Phrases like 'rose to', 'increased steadily', 'grew significantly', and 'downward trend' are used appropriately in the context of describing graph data. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, 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 marked decline' or 'witnessed a surge'. There are no significant errors in word choice or spelling that impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over grammar and punctuation is strong. For example, the use of subordinate clauses like 'which was the highest figure among all sectors' adds complexity to your writing. There are very few grammatical slips, and the punctuation is accurate throughout. The clarity of the writing is high, and the grammatical structures used are appropriate for an academic report. The accuracy is consistent, and the range is sufficient to support the clear communication of the data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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