Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)
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Model Answer
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Task Prompt
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, [redacted phone]
Number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US, [redacted phone]
Model Answer
161 words
Style: 1
The line graph illustrates how employment levels (in millions) evolved across four US economic sectors — Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture, and Healthcare — between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, the data reveals a structural economic shift: Manufacturing declined after peaking in 1980, while Healthcare and Retail grew steadily, with Agriculture remaining minimal and stable post-1980.
In 1960, Manufacturing employed 15 million workers — the highest of all sectors — rising to 20 million by 1980 before falling sharply to 13 million by 2020. Conversely, Healthcare started at only 2 million but surged dramatically after 1980, reaching 16 million — an eightfold increase — effectively matching Retail, which climbed consistently from 6 million to 16 million over the period. Agriculture, meanwhile, dropped from 6 million to 3 million by 1980 and then plateaued, showing no significant change thereafter.
This trend underscores a pronounced transition from industrial to service-oriented employment, accentuating the burgeoning dominance of Healthcare and Retail, juxtaposed with the contraction of traditional sectors.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 8.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.5 |
| Overall | 8.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5
The response fully satisfies all requirements of Academic Task 1. It provides a clear, comprehensive overview of the line graph, successfully identifying the main trends and making insightful comparisons between the four economic sectors. The introduction effectively paraphrases the prompt, while the second paragraph provides a succinct and accurate overall summary highlighting the structural shift from manufacturing to service industries. Key data points are precisely reported and contrasted, such as the peak and subsequent decline of Manufacturing, alongside the substantial growth in Healthcare and Retail. There are no omissions of key features, and the selection of data is entirely appropriate and well-supported.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5
The response is exceptionally well-organized and easy to follow. Ideas are logically sequenced, beginning with a clear overview and moving into detailed comparisons in the body paragraphs before concluding with a thoughtful summary of the broader economic trend. Paragraphing is used skillfully and appropriately. Cohesive devices, such as 'Conversely,' 'meanwhile,' and 'juxtaposed with,' are used naturally and with a high degree of flexibility to signal relationships between ideas without feeling mechanical or obtrusive.
Lexical Resource — Band 8.5
The vocabulary used throughout the response is wide, fluent, and flexible, demonstrating sophisticated control over topic-specific terminology. The student successfully employs less common and academic lexical items with precision and appropriate collocation, such as 'structural economic shift,' 'surge dramatically,' 'plateaued,' and 'burgeoning dominance.' Word choices are accurate, and phrasing is natural, matching the highest standards expected for this task without relying on repetitive or overly basic expressions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5
The writer demonstrates a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with full flexibility and high accuracy. Sentences are expertly constructed, incorporating participial phrases and varied clause structures naturally, such as 'falling sharply to 13 million by 2020' and 'accentuating the burgeoning dominance of Healthcare and Retail, juxtaposed with the contraction of traditional sectors.' Control over punctuation and grammar is virtually flawless, with only rare minor slips that never impede communication or detract from the sophisticated flow of the text.
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