Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

The line graph illustrates changes in the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy, namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare, between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, employment in retail and healthcare increased substantially throughout the period, while agriculture experienced an overall decline. Manufacturing followed a different pattern, rising to a peak in 1980 before falling considerably. By 2020, retail and healthcare had the highest employment figures, whereas agriculture had the lowest.

Manufacturing was the largest employer in 1960, with approximately 15 million jobs, and this figure rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980. Thereafter, employment in this sector declined, first to 17 million in 2000 and then to around 13 million in 2020. Agriculture, by contrast, experienced a largely downward trend. Its figure fell by half, from 6 million jobs in 1960 to 3 million in 1980, remained unchanged in 2000, and then declined slightly to just 2 million at the end of the period.

Retail and healthcare showed sustained growth over the six decades. The number of retail jobs increased steadily from 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980, before reaching 15 million in 2000 and approximately 16 million in 2020. Healthcare recorded an even more pronounced increase, rising from only 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980 and 11 million in 2000. It subsequently reached 16 million in 2020, matching the figure for retail. Consequently, both sectors had surpassed manufacturing by the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The student has fully addressed all parts of the task by providing a comprehensive overview of the main trends and reporting the key data accurately across all four sectors between 1960 and 2020. The response effectively highlights the upward trends in retail and healthcare, the overall decline in agriculture, and the fluctuating pattern in manufacturing. All figures cited, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and healthcare rising to 16 million in 2020, align closely with the provided visual data. Furthermore, relevant comparisons are made throughout, such as noting that retail and healthcare surpassed manufacturing by the end of the period. The response meets all criteria for a top-band score in Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is exceptionally well-organized, with a clear and logical progression of ideas from the introduction to the overview and detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used skillfully and appropriately, separating the general trends from the specific sector analyses. Cohesive devices are managed with precision and subtlety, utilizing transitional phrases such as 'Overall', 'thereafter', 'by contrast', and 'consequently' without any mechanical feel. Referencing and substitution are handled smoothly, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the relationships between different economic sectors over the six-decade span.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

The student demonstrates a wide, flexible, and natural lexical resource that is well-suited for an academic task. Less common vocabulary items and phrases such as 'pronounced increase', 'sustained growth', 'downward trend', and 'surpassed' are used accurately and with good awareness of collocation and academic style. Word choices are precise, and there are no spelling or lexical errors throughout the entire response. The language allows for smooth and sophisticated reporting of statistical trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide and varied range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and precise prepositional phrases of time and quantity. The vast majority of sentences are completely error-free, and punctuation is handled with total accuracy. Control over tense usage is flawless, shifting appropriately between past simple references and present/past perfect contexts where necessary. The high degree of structural complexity combined with near-native accuracy warrants the top band score.

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