Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

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)

The line graph illustrates the employment figures across four different economic sectors in the United States from 1960 to 2020, measured in millions.

Overall, healthcare and retail experienced continuous growth throughout the sixty-year period, whereas agriculture declined steadily. Manufacturing, despite an initial rise, witnessed a consistent downward trend in the latter half of the timeframe, eventually being surpassed by both retail and healthcare.

In 1960, manufacturing was the largest employer by a wide margin, accounting for 15 million jobs. This figure peaked at 20 million in 1980 before dropping progressively to 17 million in 2000 and finishing at approximately 13 million by 2020. Conversely, agriculture started at 6 million jobs in 1960, halved to 3 million by 1980, and hovered around that level before dipping slightly to roughly 2 million at the end of the period, remaining the smallest sector throughout.

By contrast, retail and healthcare expanded significantly over the years. Retail jobs rose steadily from 6 million in 1960 to nearly 10 million in 1980, eventually reaching 16 million by 2020 to become the joint-highest employer alongside healthcare. Healthcare saw the most dramatic proportional surge, starting at a mere 2 million in 1960 and steadily climbing to 5 million in 1980 and 11 million in 2000, before matching retail at 16 million jobs in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The student has provided a fully developed and accurate response to the prompt. All four economic sectors are covered effectively, and key trends and data points are accurately reported. The overview paragraph successfully captures the broad trajectories of the sectors, noting that healthcare and retail grew while agriculture declined, and that manufacturing showed an initial rise before falling. Data points such as the peak of manufacturing at 20 million in 1980 and the final tie between retail and healthcare at 16 million in 2020 are correctly identified and contrasted. The information is grounded entirely in the visual data with no misreadings or unsupported claims, meeting all requirements for the highest band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is exceptionally well-organized and easy to follow. Information is logically sequenced, beginning with an introduction, followed by a clear overview paragraph, and then detailed body paragraphs examining the trends. Paragraphing is used appropriately to group related ideas, separating the manufacturing and agriculture sectors from the growing retail and healthcare sectors. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Conversely', and 'By contrast' are employed smoothly and naturally without mechanical over-use. Referencing and substitution are handled skillfully throughout the text, contributing to a seamless and coherent reading experience.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical resource that is well-suited to an academic task. Less common vocabulary items and collocations are used naturally and with precision, such as 'continuous growth', 'downward trend', 'joint-highest employer', and 'proportional surge'. Word choice and phrasing throughout the response are sophisticated and accurate, with no noticeable spelling errors or inappropriate collocations. The vocabulary deployed allows the writer to convey precise trends and comparisons effortlessly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of flexibility and accuracy. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, and complex grammatical forms—such as participial phrases ('eventually being surpassed by both retail and healthcare') and subordinate clauses—are handled with complete control. Punctuation is flawless, and there are no structural awkwardness or grammatical slips that impede communication. The control of grammar aligns comfortably with the descriptors for a high band.

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