Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-12

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 given line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four different departments of the economy in the US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the number of jobs in the healthcare and retail sectors increased steadily over the period. In contrast, employment in agriculture declined considerably. Meanwhile, manufacturing followed a fluctuating pattern, reaching a peak in the middle of the period before falling.

Initially, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs, at approximately 15 million in 1960. This figure then rose significantly to 20 million in 1980. After that, it decreased gradually to around 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Similarly, the number of jobs in the retail department increased steadily from about 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980. It rose by 15 million in 2000 and approximately 16 million in 2020.

As shown in the chart, healthcare experienced the most significant growth during the period. It started at only 2 million jobs in 1960 and increased to 5 million in 1980. After that, the figure rose sharply to around 11 million in 2000 and reached 16 million in 2020. On the other hand, agriculture followed a different trend. Employment in this sector fell from about 6 million in 1960 to 3 million in 1980 and remained stable until 2000, before dropping slightly to approximately 2 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by reporting the main features, selecting key data points, and making relevant comparisons across the four economic sectors. The overview correctly highlights the upward trends in healthcare and retail, the downward trend in agriculture, and the fluctuating nature of manufacturing. Specific data is integrated effectively, such as noting that manufacturing peaked in 1980 at 20 million before declining, and that healthcare experienced the most significant overall growth. There are no notable omissions of key features, and the response meets the core requirements of an Academic Task 1 summary, demonstrating a clear understanding of visual data representation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically sequenced and easy to follow, with a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the overview and detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the overall trends from specific sector details. Cohesive devices are managed well without being overly mechanical, using transition phrases such as 'In contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'Similarly' to guide the reader smoothly through comparisons. Referencing is clear throughout, and each paragraph has a distinct focus, ensuring the text hangs together naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to trends such as 'increased steadily', 'declined considerably', 'fluctuating pattern', and 'rose sharply'. Less common lexical items and collocations are used with reasonable awareness of style, as seen in phrases like 'experienced the most significant growth' and 'remained stable'. While word choice is generally accurate, there is a minor numerical slip in the third paragraph where the student states 'It rose by 15 million in 2000' rather than reaching 15 million, but this does not heavily impede overall communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases effectively. Grammatical control is generally strong, with a high proportion of error-free sentences. Structures like 'After that, the figure rose sharply to around 11 million in 2000 and reached 16 million in 2020' demonstrate good control over past tense verb forms and chronological referencing. Punctuation is accurate, and minor slips do not impede understanding, placing this response comfortably within the Band 7 range.

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.