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 sectors of the US economy, namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare, from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, the number of jobs in healthcare and retail increased considerably over the period, while employment in agriculture declined. Manufacturing experienced a rise at first, followed by a gradual decrease. By 2020, retail and healthcare had the highest number of jobs.
In manufacturing, the number of jobs stood at 15 million in 1960 and then increased to 20 million in 1980. After that, it declined to approximately 17 million in 2000 and fell further to around 13 million in 2020.
The number of agricultural jobs decreased significantly from about 6 million in 1960 to 3 million in 1980. It then remained stable at approximately 3 million in 2000 before falling slightly to 2 million in 2020.
In contrast, healthcare showed a steady increase throughout the period. It started at only 2 million jobs in 1960 and rose to 5 million in 1980. The figure then increased considerably to 11 million in 2000 and reached approximately 16 million in 2020. Similarly, employment in retail increased from 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000, before reaching about 16 million in 2020.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student fully addresses all parts of the task by selecting and reporting the main features of the line graph. The overview accurately identifies the overarching trends, noting the upward trajectory of healthcare and retail jobs alongside the decline in agriculture and the fluctuating pattern in manufacturing. Key data points for 1960, 1980, 2000, and 2020 are accurately cited across all four sectors without significant omissions or misinterpretations. For example, the student correctly points out that healthcare started at 2 million jobs and rose to approximately 16 million by 2020. The response is well-supported with precise figures from the visual data, fulfilling all requirements of the Task 1 descriptor at a high level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The response is logically sequenced and easy to follow. Information is grouped effectively by sector into clear paragraphs, starting with an introduction and an overview, followed by individual body paragraphs for manufacturing, agriculture, and a combined paragraph for healthcare and retail. Cohesive devices are used naturally and appropriately, such as 'Overall', 'After that', 'In contrast', and 'Similarly', which establish clear logical relationships and progression throughout the text. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and contributes to the overall clarity and readability of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items and phrases such as 'considerably over the period', 'gradual decrease', 'remained stable', and 'steady increase' are used with good awareness of style and collocation. Word choices are precise, and there are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. The terminology relating to economic sectors and trend descriptions flows naturally, reflecting a strong command of task-specific language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response exhibits a good variety of sentence structures, mixing simple and complex forms effectively (e.g., 'The line graph illustrates...', 'Overall, the number of jobs... increased considerably..., while employment in agriculture declined'). The majority of sentences are grammatically error-free, showing good control over tense usage (past simple for historical data) and punctuation. Minor flaws are absent, and the grammatical accuracy supports smooth communication throughout the essay.
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