Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-24

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 of the US economy: manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare, between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, manufacturing was the largest employer for most period, although it declined after 1980. By contrast, retail and healthcare experienced growth, while agriculture followed a downward trend.

In 1960, manufacturing accounted for 15 million jobs, compared with 6 million in retail and agriculture and 2 million in healthcare. Manufacturing rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before falling to 17 million in 2000 and 13 million in 2020. Meanwhile, retail increased from 6 million to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000, reaching 16 million.

Healthcare grew, rising from 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980 and 11 million in 2000, before reaching 16 million in 2020. In contrast, agricultural employment fell from 6 million to 3 million in 1980 and remained stable until 2000, declined to 2 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The student successfully covers all parts of the prompt by selecting and reporting the main features of the line graph, making accurate comparisons across the four economic sectors between 1960 and 2020. An effective overview is provided, highlighting the general trends such as manufacturing's initial dominance followed by a decline, the growth in retail and healthcare, and the downward trend in agriculture. Specific figures from the visual data are correctly cited, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 and healthcare reaching 16 million in 2020. The response is fully developed and accurate against the visual reference, meeting all requirements for this criterion at a high level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression from the introduction to the overview and body paragraphs. Information and data are presented in a coherent sequence. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'By contrast', 'Meanwhile', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to link ideas and guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in the report. Referencing is clear throughout, contributing to the smooth flow of the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with appropriate lexical choices related to trend descriptions and data reporting, such as 'accounted for', 'rose to a peak', 'downward trend', and 'remained stable'. There are occasional slight awkwardness in phrasing, such as 'for most period' instead of 'for most of the period'. However, less common items are used with general awareness of style and collocation, and the vocabulary is adequate to convey precise statistical information clearly without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating various dependent clauses and transitional phrases. Grammatical control is generally strong, with many error-free sentences. There is one minor grammatical slip near the end of the text where a conjunction is missing ('stable until 2000, declined to 2 million'), which slightly disrupts the grammatical flow of that specific clause. Punctuation is accurate, and the errors do not impede overall communication.

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