Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-26

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 8.5)

The line graph illustrates changes in employment across four US industry sectors — manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare — over a 60-year period from 1960 to 2020, measured in millions of jobs.

Overall, manufacturing and agriculture experienced long-term declines in employment, whereas retail and healthcare saw substantial growth. Notably, healthcare and retail overtook manufacturing as the largest employers by the end of the period, a complete reversal of the 1960 pattern.

In 1960, manufacturing was by far the dominant sector, employing 15 million people, compared to roughly 6 million each in retail and agriculture, and just 2 million in healthcare. Manufacturing employment then rose sharply to a peak of 20 million in 1980, before declining steadily thereafter to 13 million by 2020, its lowest point on the graph.

Retail followed the opposite trajectory, climbing consistently throughout the period to reach approximately 16 million jobs in 2020. Healthcare showed the most dramatic growth of all, rising from a mere 2 million in 1960 to around 16 million by 2020, overtaking every other sector except retail. Agriculture, by contrast, fell continuously after 1960, dropping to under 2 million jobs by 2020, the smallest of the four sectors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.5

The student has fully satisfied the requirements of Task Achievement by accurately summarizing all key features and making relevant comparisons across the four economic sectors over the 60-year period. The overview paragraph successfully highlights the main overall trends, noting the long-term declines in manufacturing and agriculture alongside substantial growth in retail and healthcare, and correctly points out the dramatic reversal in rankings by 2020. Data points are appropriately cited to support these claims, such as manufacturing peaking at 20 million in 1980 before dropping to 13 million, and healthcare surging from 2 million to 16 million. The figures match the visual data closely and no key trends are omitted. This represents a well-developed and fully accurate response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.5

The response is exceptionally well-organized and easy to follow. Ideas are logically sequenced, beginning with a clear introductory paraphrase, followed by a succinct and effective overview paragraph, and concluding with detailed body paragraphs that break down the trends systematically. Cohesive devices are used naturally and unobtrusively, such as 'whereas', 'notably', 'before declining steadily', and 'by contrast', which help guide the reader effortlessly through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct and clear function in the overall structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The vocabulary used is precise, wide-ranging, and highly appropriate for an academic report. The student employs sophisticated lexical items and functional collocations such as 'long-term declines', 'substantial growth', 'complete reversal', and 'followed the opposite trajectory'. Word choices are accurate throughout, and terms related to graphical data and economic trends are integrated smoothly without sounding forced or repetitive. There are no spelling or word-choice errors, demonstrating a high level of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.5

The writing displays a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The student effortlessly handles subordinate clauses, participial phrases ('employing 15 million people', 'rising from a mere 2 million'), and complex compound sentences. The vast majority of sentences are completely error-free, and any control over tense, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement is handled with total fluency. The grammatical control fully supports the seamless flow of the academic report.

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