Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-14

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 changes in employment figures across four economic sectors in the United States, Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, and Agriculture from 1960 to 2020, measured in millions of jobs.

Overall, Healthcare and Retail experienced consistent upward trajectories throughout the 60-year period, with Healthcare exhibiting the most dramatic rise. Conversely, Manufacturing saw initial growth before experiencing a steady decline, while Agriculture remained the smallest employer with a slight downward drift.

In 1960, Manufacturing was by far the largest provider of jobs at 15 million, peaking at 20 million in 1980. However, this sector subsequently contracted, dropping to 17 million in 2000 and eventually falling to 13 million by 2020. In contrast, Retail started at 6 million in 1960 and climbed steadily over the decades, overtaking Manufacturing around 2015 to reach 16 million by the end of the timeframe.

Healthcare began as the smallest sector in 1960 alongside Agriculture, offering only 2 million jobs in 1960. Over the following six decades, Healthcare witnessed substantial and uninterrupted expansion, matching Manufacturing at approximately 14 million jobs in 2015 and concluding at 16 million in 2020. Conversely, Agriculture started at 6 million jobs in 1960, dipped sharply to 3 million in 1980, and then slowly diminished to finish at just under 2 million in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear overview and effectively reporting the main trends and comparisons for the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020. The student accurately highlights that Healthcare and Retail experienced consistent upward trajectories, whereas Manufacturing and Agriculture showed different patterns. Key data points, such as Manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and Healthcare rising from 2 million to 16 million, are well-selected and correctly reported to support the comparisons. The overview captures the main features proficiently without unnecessary detail, earning a solid band 8.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The report demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is coherently arranged, starting with a general overview paragraph followed by well-structured body paragraphs that break down the trends systematically. Cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'In contrast', and 'However' are used accurately and flexibly to signal contrasts and comparisons between the sectors. Paragraphing is logical, with each economic sector or contrasting trend receiving appropriate focus. Reference items are clear and maintain the flow of ideas seamlessly.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical range suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Vocabulary items such as 'upward trajectories', 'exhibiting the most dramatic rise', 'contracted', and 'uninterrupted expansion' show strong control and an awareness of collocation appropriate to academic reporting. There are only very occasional minor stylistic slips, such as repeating the year 'offering only 2 million jobs in 1960' awkwardly in consecutive clauses, but this does not detract from the overall high quality and precision of the vocabulary used.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writing features a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the student successfully employs participial phrases and subordinate clauses, such as in 'overtaking Manufacturing around 2015 to reach 16 million by the end of the timeframe.' Control over punctuation and tense consistency—moving smoothly between past trends and overall summaries—is excellent. Only very rare, minor awkwardness is present, fully aligning with the high standards of Band 8.

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