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 compares employment figures, measured in millions of jobs, in four sectors of the American economy over a sixty-year period from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, manufacturing and agriculture saw long-term declines, whereas retail and healthcare grew substantially. By the end of the period, retail and healthcare had drawn level as the joint largest employers, having overtaken manufacturing.

In 1960, manufacturing was by far the biggest source of employment, at 15 million jobs, and this figure rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980. Thereafter it fell steadily, dropping to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million by 2020, below its initial level.

Retail, meanwhile, employed only 6 million people in 1960 but climbed consistently to 15 million in 2000, after which growth slowed, reaching 16 million in 2020. Healthcare showed the most dramatic change, increasing eightfold from a mere 2 million to 16 million, with the sharpest rise occurring between 1980 and 2000.

Agriculture, by contrast, employed the fewest workers throughout. Having halved from 6 million to 3 million between 1960 and 1980, it then plateaued before edging down to 2 million — the only sector to remain under 5 million for the entire period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response covers all parts of the task extremely well, successfully selecting and reporting the main features of the line graph while making relevant and accurate comparisons. The introduction accurately paraphrases the prompt, and the overview clearly highlights the overarching trends, such as the long-term declines in manufacturing and agriculture versus the substantial growth in retail and healthcare. The body paragraphs are well-organized and skillfully incorporate precise data points from the chart, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and healthcare increasing eightfold from 2 million to 16 million. The figures and comparisons are completely accurate and effectively support the descriptive narrative. This performance aligns fully with the Band 8 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced, guiding the reader smoothly through the temporal data from 1960 to 2020. The response employs a clear and natural overall progression, moving from a general overview to specific sector-by-sector analyses. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'meanwhile', 'after which', and 'by contrast' are managed very well and add to the cohesion without appearing mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately and sufficiently, with each sector given a dedicated, logical focus that enhances readability. Referencing throughout the text is clear and precise, ensuring that the relationships between different data points and time frames remain transparent. The organizational structure easily satisfies the requirements for a Band 8 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary used is varied, flexible, and entirely appropriate for an academic report. The writer demonstrates a strong command of less common lexical items and functional phrases, such as 'drawn level', 'overtaken', 'peaked', 'plateaued', and 'edging down'. Collocations are natural and precise, as seen in phrases like 'long-term declines' and 'the most dramatic change'. Word choices are accurate throughout the response, and there are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. The lexical range is sufficiently wide to allow for precise reporting of statistical trends, fully meriting a Band 8 rating.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a wide range of structures, seamlessly combining simple and complex sentence forms with a high degree of control. The majority of sentences are error-free, utilizing participial clauses and subordinate structures effectively (e.g., 'Having halved from 6 million to 3 million between 1960 and 1980, it then plateaued...'). Punctuation is accurate, and grammatical control is maintained consistently from the opening sentence to the conclusion. There are no systemic errors or inappropriate structures that distract the reader, demonstrating the high level of accuracy and variety expected at Band 8.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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