Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-13
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)
Number of Jobs in Four Sectors of the Economy in the US, 1960–2020
The line graph illustrates the number of jobs, measured in millions, in four sectors of the US economy between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, manufacturing was the largest source of employment in 1960 and reached a peak in 1980 before declining steadily. In contrast, retail and healthcare experienced substantial growth over the period, while agriculture showed a gradual decrease. By 2020, retail and healthcare had become the two largest sectors.
In 1960, manufacturing employed around 15 million people, considerably more than retail and agriculture, both of which stood at approximately 6 million. Manufacturing then rose to a peak of 20 million jobs in 1980, before falling to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Agriculture followed the opposite pattern, declining from 6 million jobs in 1960 to 3 million in 1980. It remained unchanged in 2000 and then fell slightly to just 2 million by 2020.
Retail employment increased consistently throughout the period. Starting at 6 million jobs in 1960, the figure rose to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000, before reaching 16 million in 2020. Healthcare experienced an even more dramatic rise, from only 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980 and 11 million in 2000. By 2020, employment in this sector had reached 16 million, equal to the figure for retail.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear overview and highlighting key trends across the four sectors throughout the period. The main features are accurately reported and supported with specific data points, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million jobs in 1980 and healthcare rising from 2 million to 16 million. Comparisons are made effectively, noting how retail and healthcare surpassed other sectors by 2020. The response is fully developed and satisfies all requirements of Academic Task 1, demonstrating a solid understanding of the visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
Ideas are logically sequenced, starting with an introductory statement, followed by a strong overall trend paragraph, and then detailed body paragraphs breaking down specific timeframes and sectors. The paragraphing is used effectively and appropriately. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'before falling', and 'starting at' are managed well to guide the reader smoothly through the text without any mechanical feel or confusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary suited to a visual data report. Phrases like 'largest source of employment', 'substantial growth', 'gradual decrease', and 'followed the opposite pattern' show natural and precise use of collocation and register. There are only occasional minor limitations, but overall the lexical resource is strong and easily supports clear communication of complex statistical trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response exhibits a wide range of complex sentence structures, including participial phrases ('before declining steadily') and subordinate clauses ('while agriculture showed a gradual decrease'). The majority of sentences are error-free, with accurate punctuation and tense consistency throughout. Grammar is well-controlled, and there are only very occasional minor slips that never impede communication, aligning with the high band descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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