Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

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 7.5)

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

Overall, manufacturing had the highest number of jobs at the beginning of the period, but it declined after reaching a peak in 1980. In contrast, employment in healthcare and retail increased considerably over the period. Agriculture experienced a significant decline and had the lowest number of jobs by 2020.

In 1960, manufacturing provided approximately 15 million jobs, compared with around 6 million in retail and agriculture. Healthcare had the fewest jobs, at only about 2 million. By 1980, manufacturing employment had risen to 20 million, while retail increased to 10 million. In the same year, healthcare reached approximately 5 million jobs, whereas agriculture fell to around 3 million.

From 1980 onwards, the number of manufacturing jobs decreased steadily, falling from 20 million to about 17 million in 2000 and then to approximately 13 million in 2020. Retail employment, however, continued to rise, reaching 15 million in 2000 and around 16 million by 2020.

Healthcare also experienced substantial growth throughout the period. Its employment figure increased from just 2 million in 1960 to 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and approximately 16 million in 2020. By the end of the period, healthcare and retail had the highest employment figures, at around 16 million each, while agriculture had declined to only about 2 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student has successfully covered all parts of the task by reporting the main features, trends, and making relevant comparisons across the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020. The overview effectively captures the primary movements, noting that manufacturing started high but declined after 1980, while healthcare and retail experienced considerable growth. The body paragraphs accurately report the data points from the visual source, such as manufacturing reaching a peak of 20 million in 1980 and healthcare and retail both finishing at around 16 million in 2020. All figures cited are consistent with the provided visual data, and the response is well-developed with clear supporting details throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. Ideas are appropriately grouped into paragraphs, with an introduction, a clear overview paragraph, and well-structured body paragraphs that deal with specific timeframes and categories. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively, such as 'In contrast', 'By 1980', 'From 1980 onwards', and 'however'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to separate the overall trends from the specific numerical breakdowns, resulting in a cohesive and easy-to-follow text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide and appropriate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Less common vocabulary items and phrases such as 'considerably', 'substantial growth', 'experienced a significant decline', and 'employment figures' are used accurately. Word choice and collocations are generally precise, matching the context of economic sectors and labor market trends. There are no notable spelling or lexical errors, allowing the message to be communicated fluently and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, and the writer demonstrates good control of subordinate clauses and comparative structures, as seen in sentences like 'While manufacturing employment had risen to 20 million, while retail increased to 10 million' (though note a slight redundancy with 'while') and 'manufacturing provided approximately 15 million jobs, compared with around 6 million in retail and agriculture.' Punctuation is handled correctly, and grammar does not impede communication at any point.

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