Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22
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 line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four sectors - Manufacturing, Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare - of the US economy over a sixty-year period from 1960 to 2020.
Overall, both Healthcare and Retail sectors experienced a significant rise in the number of jobs, whereas Agriculture experienced a considerable decline. The figure for employment in Manufacturing sector was highest in 1960 but Healthcare and Retail overtook this sector and ranked first in 2020. Manufacturing sector witnessed a substantial increase in the number of jobs before a dip.
In 1960, Manufacturing sector accounted for 15 millions of job, while the figure for Retail, Agriculture and Healthcare recorded at approximately 6 millions, 6 millions and 2 millions, respectively. The number of jobs in Agriculture and Retail sectors was same in 1960 but the retail sector grew over time and climbed over 15 million by 2020. By contrast, the figure for agriculture sector decreased year-on-year and stood at almost 2 millions in 2020.
Similarly, manufacturing was the largest sector in terms of employement in 1960 and it remained its position till 1980, In 1980, manufacturing sector reached a peak of 20 millions jobs but its figure declined during the remaining years and became around 13 millions by 2020, ranking 2nd overall. In stark contrast, Healthcare which had the lowest number of jobs in 1960 surged over the timeframe and peaked over 15 millions in 2020, ranking 1st with Retail 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 | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features, trends, and comparisons across the four sectors. The overview clearly highlights the overall upward trends in Healthcare and Retail alongside the decline in Agriculture. Data points are accurately cited from the visual, such as Manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and Healthcare and Retail reaching 16 million in 2020. The student effectively contrasts the different trajectories of the sectors throughout the 60-year period, fulfilling all requirements of Academic Task 1 to a high standard.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression from the introduction to the overview, followed by detailed body paragraphs comparing the data. Information and ideas are coherently sequenced. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'By contrast', and 'Similarly' are used effectively to guide the reader through the comparisons, though occasional mechanical transitions are present.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to the task, incorporating appropriate terms such as 'sector', 'considerable decline', 'substantial increase', 'surged', and 'fluctuated'. Less common lexical items are used with some awareness of collocation, although minor inaccuracies occur, such as 'employement' (spelling) and '15 millions of job' (pluralization/preposition error). Overall, the lexical resource is adequate to convey precise meanings effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses. The majority of sentences are grammatically sound and error-free, with good control over tense usage when describing past trends. Minor mechanical errors do occur, such as 'The number of jobs in Agriculture and Retail sectors was same' (missing article) and a comma splice before 'In 1980, manufacturing sector...'. However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.