Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of jobs in four different economic sectors in the United States—Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, and Agriculture—from 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the retail and healthcare sectors experienced continuous, significant growth over the 60-year period. In contrast, employment in agriculture dropped, while the manufacturing sector peaked before declining toward the end of the period.

In 1960, manufacturing provided the highest number of jobs at 15 million, followed by both retail and agriculture at approximately 6 million each. Healthcare recorded the lowest figure, with just 2 million jobs. By 1980, manufacturing employment surged to its highest point of 20 million. During the same period, retail grew to 10 million, healthcare rose to 5 million, and agriculture dropped sharply to around 3 million.

By 2020, retail and healthcare had climbed steadily to reach a joint peak of approximately 16 million jobs, surpassing all other sectors. Conversely, manufacturing fell gradually after 1980, ending at around 13 million. Employment in agriculture continued its slow decline, finishing as the lowest sector at roughly 2 million jobs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.5

The student has written an excellent response that fully satisfies the requirements of Academic Task 1. All four economic sectors are covered accurately across the 60-year timeline. The opening overview clearly captures the main global trends—specifically, the continuous growth of retail and healthcare, the decline of agriculture, and the peak-and-decline pattern of manufacturing. Key data points, such as manufacturing reaching 20 million in 1980 and the joint peak of retail and healthcare at 16 million in 2020, are correctly reported and contrasted. The selection of features is well-judged and directly grounded in the visual data. There are no omissions of major trends or inaccurate figures, demonstrating a strong command of task parameters.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.5

The response is exceptionally well-structured and easy to follow. Information is logically sequenced from an introductory paraphrase, through a clear overview paragraph, down to detailed body paragraphs comparing the start, middle, and end points of the timeline. Cohesive devices are used naturally and unobtrusively, such as 'In contrast', 'During the same period', and 'Conversely'. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in the development of the response. The progression of ideas throughout the text is smooth, ensuring that the reader is guided effortlessly from the general trends to the specific numerical comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The lexical resource displayed is sophisticated, flexible, and entirely appropriate for an Academic task. The student avoids repetitive phrasing by employing a strong variety of vocabulary to describe trends and figures, such as 'surged', 'climbed steadily', 'dropped sharply', and 'slow decline'. Less common lexical items and collocation patterns are used with a high degree of precision ('continuous, significant growth', 'joint peak', 'surpassing all other sectors'). Word choice is natural, and there are no spelling or lexical errors present in the text, indicating a high level of control over vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with a high level of accuracy. Sentences are structurally diverse, incorporating participial phrases ('surpassing all other sectors') and well-managed subordinate clauses. Tense control is faultless, shifting appropriately between the past simple for historical data points and the past perfect/continuous structures where necessary. Punctuation is accurate, and the overwhelming majority of sentences are completely error-free. The minor slips or awkward formulations that sometimes characterise Band 7 responses are absent here, making this a strong representative of Band 8.

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