Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in the manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare sectors in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs in the earlier years, peaking in 1980, before declining considerably. In contrast, retail and healthcare experienced significant growth over the period, while agriculture saw an overall decline.

In 1960, manufacturing accounted for around 15 million jobs, which increased to a peak of 20 million in 1980. However, this figure then fell to approximately 17 million in 2000 before dropping further to 13 million in 2020. Similarly, agriculture started at about 6 million jobs in 1960 and declined to 3 million in 1980. It then remained stable until 2000, before falling slightly to just 2 million by 2020.

Turning to the sectors that experienced growth, both retail and healthcare saw an overall increase in the number of jobs. Retail started at approximately 6 million jobs in 1960 and rose steadily to 10 million in 1980. This figure then increased to 15 million in 2000 and reached around 16 million by 2020. Similarly, healthcare experienced the most significant growth, rising from just 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980. It then more than doubled to 11 million in 2000 and reached approximately 16 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student has successfully covered all parts of the task by providing a clear and comprehensive summary of the main features shown in the line graph. The overview accurately captures the overarching trends, noting that manufacturing peaked before declining while retail and healthcare experienced substantial growth. Key data points, such as manufacturing reaching 20 million jobs in 1980 and healthcare and retail both hitting 16 million in 2020, are accurately reported and supported with appropriate comparisons. There are no notable omissions or inaccuracies in the data reporting. The response fully satisfies the requirements for Task Achievement at a high standard, demonstrating a well-developed and clear overview.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and easy to follow. The essay is divided into clear and appropriate paragraphs, starting with a well-crafted introductory sentence, followed by an effective overview paragraph, and then detailed body paragraphs categorising the declining and growing sectors respectively. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'However', 'Similarly', and 'Turning to the sectors that experienced growth' are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the data. Referencing is clear throughout, and the progression of information feels completely natural, resulting in strong overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for this task type. Phrases like 'accounted for around', 'reached a peak', 'experienced significant growth', and 'rose steadily' show good control of language related to graphs and trends. Less common lexical items and collocation patterns are used with reasonable awareness of style, such as 'declining considerably' and 'remained stable'. While it does not reach the absolute upper limits of rare or sophisticated idiomatic control, the vocabulary is flexible and precise enough to ensure smooth communication without any noticeable errors in word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writer employs a good variety of complex sentence structures alongside simple forms, displaying strong control over grammar and punctuation. Examples include relative clauses and participle phrases integrated smoothly, such as 'which increased to a peak of 20 million in 1980' and 'before dropping further to 13 million in 2020'. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, with accurate use of past tense verbs to describe historical data trends. Punctuation is used correctly to separate clauses and manage transitions. Only minor slips might prevent a higher score, but overall grammatical control is robust.

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