Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-23
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)
Overall, employment in retail and healthcare increased significantly over the period, whereas agriculture experienced a continuous decline. Manufacturing was the largest employer in 1960 and reached a peak in 1980, but its employment figure subsequently decreased. By 2020, healthcare and retail had become the largest sectors.
In 1960, manufacturing accounted for approximately 15 million jobs, considerably more than retail and agriculture, which each had around 6 million. Healthcare had the lowest figure, at about 2 million jobs. Manufacturing then rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980 before falling to approximately 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020.
Retail employment increased steadily from around 6 million in 1960 to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000. It then rose slightly to about 16 million in 2020. Healthcare showed an even more dramatic increase, climbing from roughly 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and approximately 16 million in 2020. In contrast, agriculture fell from around 6 million jobs in 1960 to about 3 million in 1980 and eventually to only around 2 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 response successfully covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons across the four economic sectors. The overview paragraph accurately identifies the overall trends, such as the significant growth in retail and healthcare alongside the continuous decline in agriculture. Specific figures from the chart, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and healthcare climbing to approximately 16 million in 2020, are accurately cited and supported. The data is properly grounded in the provided chart without any noticeable misreadings or inventions. The student skillfully contrasts the trajectories of the different sectors, fully satisfying the requirements of Task 1 at a high level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0
The report demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is grouped logically by sector and time period, beginning with a concise introduction and overview, followed by detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate general manufacturing trends from detailed breakdowns of retail, healthcare, and agriculture. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'subsequently', 'in contrast', and 'then' are used flexibly and effectively to guide the reader through the data without being obtrusive. Referencing is clear and unambiguous, ensuring seamless transitions between sentences and ideas.
Lexical Resource: Band 7.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient and precise lexical range appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response. Less common vocabulary items and collocation phrases such as 'continuous decline', 'largest employer', 'accounted for approximately', and 'dramatic increase' are handled with good control and awareness of style. Word choice is generally accurate, with natural phrasing throughout. While the vocabulary is not overly exotic or overly sophisticated, it fully serves the purpose of describing visual data accurately and fluently, meeting the descriptors for Band 7.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
The response features a wide variety of complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses ('whereas agriculture experienced a continuous decline', 'which each had around 6 million') and participial phrases. The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating a high level of grammatical control. Punctuation is accurate, and verbs and tenses are used correctly to describe past trends and data points. There are only very occasional minor slips, but these do not impede communication in any way, comfortably placing this response in the Band 8 category.
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