Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30

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 compares the number of jobs in manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in the United States between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, employment in retail and healthcare increased dramatically throughout the period, while manufacturing peaked in 1980 and then declined. Agriculture consistently employed the fewest people and its workforce shrank over time.

In 1960, manufacturing was the largest sector, providing 15 million jobs, compared to about 6 million in both retail and agriculture, and only 2 million in healthcare. By 1980, manufacturing jobs had risen to a peak of 20 million, while retail grew to 10 million and healthcare to 5 million. In contrast, agricultural employment fell to around 3 million.

Between 1980 and 2020, the trends diverged. The number of manufacturing jobs fell to 17 million in 2000 and to 13 million in 2020. Meanwhile, retail and healthcare continued to rise steadily. Retail reached 15 million in 2000 and 16 million in 2020, overtaking manufacturing around 2015. Healthcare showed the sharpest growth, rising to 11 million in 2000 and also reaching about 15 to 16 million in 2020, similar to retail. Agriculture remained low, declining slightly to under 2 million by 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear and comprehensive summary of the line graph. The student successfully selects and reports the main features, such as the peak and subsequent decline in manufacturing, the dramatic growth in retail and healthcare, and the steady decline in agriculture. Comparisons are effectively made across the four sectors throughout the 60-year period. All reported figures and trends accurately reflect the visual data provided in the prompt, with no noticeable omissions or distortions of the main information.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression from an introductory paraphrase, to a well-structured overview paragraph, followed by detailed body paragraphs that chronologically trace the trends. Cohesive devices are used appropriately and naturally (e.g., 'Meanwhile', 'In contrast', 'Between 1980 and 2020'), connecting ideas smoothly without being overly mechanical. Paragraphing is fully logical and well-managed, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in the report.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to academic report writing. Less common lexical items are used effectively to describe trends, such as 'dramatically', 'diverged', 'overtaking', and 'shrinking workforce'. Word choices and collocations are generally accurate (e.g., 'employment in retail', 'agricultural employment'), with only occasional minor phrasing. Spelling and word formation are flawless throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response features a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the writer handles subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and comparative structures skillfully (e.g., 'providing 15 million jobs, compared to about 6 million in both retail and agriculture'). Control of punctuation, tense consistency, and subject-verb agreement is strong, with no intrusive grammatical errors impeding communication.

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