Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-02

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 workers employed in four different sectors of the United States economy between 1960 and 2020.

Overall, there was a major shift in the U.S. workforce over the 60-year period. Traditional industries like manufacturing and agriculture saw an overall decline in employment. In contrast, service and care sectors, specifically retail and healthcare, experienced steady growth, with healthcare ultimately becoming the largest employer.

In 1960, manufacturing was by far the largest sector, providing jobs for about 15 million people. This number rose to a peak of nearly 20 million in 1980, but then dropped steadily over the next 40 years to finish at approximately 12 million in 2020. Agriculture started much lower, at around 5 million jobs in 1960. It experienced a sharp drop over the next twenty years, bottoming out at just under 2 million in 1980, where it remained stable until 2020.

On the other hand, retail and healthcare grew consistently. Retail employment started at roughly 6 million in 1960 and increased gradually every decade, reaching just under 15 million by the end of the period. Healthcare showed the most impressive growth. Starting with fewer than 4 million jobs in 1960, it expanded rapidly, overtaking manufacturing around 2000 and peaking at about 18 million jobs in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all parts of the task by providing a clear and comprehensive summary of the main features and trends shown in the graph. The overview captures the overall shift from traditional industries to service and care sectors accurately. Key data points, such as manufacturing peaking in 1980 and healthcare expanding rapidly to become a leading sector, are selected and reported well with appropriate comparisons. While a few figures differ slightly from the visual data, such as agricultural employment starting around 6 million rather than 5 million, the overall reporting is clear, well-supported, and effectively fulfils all requirements of the prompt without unnecessary repetition.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a clear, logical organization and progression throughout. Information is grouped logically by sector, moving from an introductory overview to a detailed discussion of declining industries followed by growing sectors. Paragraphing is used effectively, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in developing the response. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'On the other hand' are utilized flexibly and appropriately to connect ideas and guide the reader smoothly through the comparative analysis, ensuring a cohesive and well-structured piece of writing.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The vocabulary used is sufficient for the task and demonstrates a good degree of flexibility and precision. The student successfully employs less common lexical items and sector-specific terminology appropriate for an academic report, such as 'workforce', 'traditional industries', 'bottoming out', and 'stable'. Word choice is generally accurate and natural, contributing to a fluent reading experience. While there are a few minor approximations in data interpretation, the lexical control remains strong throughout, allowing the writer to convey precise trends and comparisons effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, utilizing complex forms such as participial clauses ('starting with fewer than 4 million jobs') and subordinate clauses ('while healthcare ultimately becoming' or 'as it expanded rapidly') naturally and effectively. Control of verb tenses appropriate for past data is excellent, and punctuation is handled with precision. Only very occasional minor slips occur, which do not impede communication, placing the grammatical control at a very high standard.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.