Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)
The provided chart illustrates the data about the number of occupations in four different sectors such as manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare in the US economy over the 60-year period from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, it is evident that the number of jobs in the manufacturing sector remained the highest in the initial year and it peaked after two decades. Surprisingly, the number of occupations in the healthcare sector which was the lowest in the initial year became the highest in 2020 along with the retail sector.
Looking first at the manufacturing sector, the figure stood at 15 million in 1960 making it the highest and it peaked at 20 million in 1980. However, it declined steadily by intersecting the retail sector and the healthcare sector, reaching approximately 13 million in 2020. Similarly, the number of jobs in agricultural sector started at around 6 million along with the number of occupations in the retail sector. However, the figure then declined and reached below 5 million in 1980 and remained stable for rest of the 40 years.
Turning to the number of employments in the healthcare sector, it accounted for approximately 2 million in the first year, making it the least popular jobs. Afterwards, it grew significantly and became the highest, reaching just over 15 million in 2020 along with the retail businesses. Interestingly, the number of jobs in the retail sector was the similar figure to that of the agriculture sector in 1960, while it ended being the highest figure in 2020 along with the healthcare sector.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons across the four sectors. An appropriate overview is presented in the second paragraph, capturing the key trends such as the dominance of manufacturing initially and the rise of healthcare and retail by 2020. Key data points are correctly cited, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and healthcare starting at 2 million and reaching 16 million. The response is fully grounded in the provided visual data with no significant inaccuracies or omissions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The response is logically organized with a clear progression from an introduction and overview to detailed body paragraphs. Information and ideas are coherently sequenced. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each body paragraph focusing on specific sectors. Cohesive devices are handled well throughout, for instance using phrases like 'Looking first at', 'Similarly', and 'Turning to' to guide the reader smoothly through the data, although occasional transitions could be slightly more natural.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to academic task 1 reporting. Phrases like 'remained the highest', 'declined steadily', 'grew significantly', and 'accounted for' are used appropriately. There are some minor lexical awkwardnesses, such as 'number of employments' instead of 'employment figures' or 'number of employed people', but these do not impede communication. Less common vocabulary items are attempted with reasonable control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
A good mix of simple and complex sentence structures is deployed throughout the text. The student demonstrates control over complex clauses, as seen in 'the number of occupations in the healthcare sector which was the lowest in the initial year became the highest'. The majority of sentences are error-free. Grammatical errors are very rare and minor, such as the missing article in 'agricultural sector' or slight preposition slips, which do not interfere with understanding.
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