Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-15

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 7.0)

The given line graph provides data about the number of jobs in four economical sectors namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in US from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, maximum job opportunities were provided by manufacturing sector in 1980 which is the highest data among all 4 categories during all consecutive years. The number of jobs gradually increased in retail and healthcare sectors from 1960 to 2020. Least employement was observed in agriculture.

From 1960 to 1980, the number of jobs rose continously in manufacturing, retail and healthcare and finally reached to 20, 10 and 5 millions in 1980. On the other hand, a continuous decline was observed by agriculture sector from 1960 to 1980. During next four decades, employement opportunities rose steadily for retail and healthcare , finally reaching a zenith to 16 millions in 2020.

After peaking to 20 millions in 1980, a gradual decline was observed by manufacturing sector from 1980 to 2020, finally lowering to about 13 million in 2020. The trend remained quite different for agriculture category, observing stability at 2.5 millions from 1980 to 2000 and a slight decrease during next two decades.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features, trends, and making relevant comparisons across the four sectors shown in the graph. An adequate overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting the peak of the manufacturing sector in 1980, the upward trends in retail and healthcare, and the low figures for agriculture. Key data points, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million and retail and healthcare reaching 16 million in 2020, are accurately cited. The response is fully grounded in the visual data, and the comparisons between growing sectors (retail, healthcare) and declining ones (agriculture, manufacturing after 1980) are well-developed, earning a solid Band 7.0 for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear four-paragraph structure comprising an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing specific time periods and categories. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand' and 'During next four decades' are used to connect ideas and guide the reader through the data. However, paragraphing and referencing can occasionally feel a bit mechanical, and minor transitions are sometimes omitted, as seen in the progression between sentences. Overall organisation and progression are clear throughout, satisfying the Band 7.0 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms related to economic sectors ('manufacturing', 'retail', 'agriculture', 'healthcare') and trend language ('gradually increased', 'continuous decline', 'zenith', 'peaking'). However, there are some spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'economical' instead of 'economic', 'employement' instead of 'employment', and 'continously' instead of 'continuously'. These minor slips prevent the response from reaching a higher band, but the lexical range remains adequate for precision and flexibility, comfortably placing it at Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating introductory prepositional phrases and subordinate clauses effectively (e.g., 'After peaking to 20 millions in 1980, a gradual decline was observed...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating good control of basic structures. However, a few grammatical errors persist, such as prepositions ('peaking to' instead of 'peaking at') and minor punctuation slips. Because the majority of sentences are clear and errors rarely impede communication, the response achieves a Band 6.5 for Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

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