Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17
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 8.0)
The line graph illustrates the total number of jobs within four distinct economic sectors in the United States between 1960 and 2020.Overall, the period was characterized by a clear shift toward service-oriented industries, as employment in healthcare and retail experienced significant upward trends. In contrast, agricultural employment steadily declined, while manufacturing jobs peaked mid-period before falling significantly by the end of the timeframe.In 1960, manufacturing was the dominant sector, accounting for 15 million jobs. This figure grew to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before experiencing a continuous decline over the next forty years, dropping to 13 million by 2020. Agriculture started the period with approximately 6 million jobs, but plummeted to 3 million in 1980. Following a period of stability between 1980 and 2000, agricultural employment dwindled further to just under 2 million by 2020, making it the smallest sector.Conversely, the healthcare sector showed the most dramatic growth. Starting at a modest 2 million jobs in 1960, it surpassed agriculture by 1980 and maintained an exponential trajectory to reach 16 million by 2020. Retail also demonstrated consistent growth throughout the 60-year duration. Beginning at 6 million jobs in 1960, it climbed steadily to 10 million in 1980, eventually matching healthcare as the leading employer at 16 million jobs in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 8.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by providing a clear and comprehensive overview of the graph. The main features and trends across all four sectors are accurately identified, and relevant comparisons are made throughout the text. The data points cited—such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and healthcare reaching 16 million by 2020—align closely with the visual data. The response demonstrates a fully developed picture of the changing employment patterns over the 60-year period without any significant omissions or inaccurate data reporting. This performance easily meets the requirements for a high band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically sequenced and easy to follow. The student uses a clear introductory paragraph, a well-crafted overall summary, and well-structured body paragraphs that logically group the economic sectors (manufacturing and agriculture in one paragraph, and healthcare and retail in another). Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Conversely', and 'Following a period of stability' are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately and supports the overall progression of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 8.0
The student demonstrates a wide, flexible, and fluent range of vocabulary suited to describing statistical trends. Effective less-common lexical items and collocations are employed, such as 'service-oriented industries', 'upward trends', 'continuous decline', 'exponential trajectory', and 'leading employer'. Word choice and collocations are handled with precision, and there are no noticeable errors in spelling or word formation. The language used elevates the report beyond a simple recounting of numbers.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
A wide variety of complex sentence structures is used accurately throughout the response. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, showcasing excellent control over subordination and participial phrases, as seen in sentences like 'Starting at a modest 2 million jobs in 1960, it surpassed agriculture by 1980...' Punctuation and grammatical markers are handled with a high degree of precision, with only rare, negligible slips that do not impede communication.
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