Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Jobs in the United States ([redacted phone]) fall under four different sectors, namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and healthcare. The manufacturing sector boasted the highest number of workers employed in the US in 1960 with people employed increasing from 15 million in 1960 to 20 million in 1980. However, there has been a swift decline in the four decades that have followed which has led to only around 13 million workers holding manufacturing jobs in the region. Compared to this, retail and healthcare sectors have seen a far more positive change over the years. Although in the '60s, the retail sector only employed around 6 million workers and the healthcare sector provided merely ~2 million jobs, the sectors have remained on an upwards trajectory ever since. A constant and consistent increase in workers employed has led to both the sectors surpassing manufacturing, each employing around 16 million workers in 2020. As for the agriculture sector, it started out at the same position as retail and healthcare, yet that is where the similarities end. Jobs in agriculture decreased to 4 million in 1980, plateaued till 2000 and then further decreased to around 3 million in 2020, making it the sector with the least number of people employed in the US economy in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear overview and reporting the main features of the four sectors across the given timeframe. Key trends, such as the initial dominance and subsequent decline of manufacturing alongside the steady growth of healthcare and retail, are accurately highlighted. The data points cited, including the 1960 and 2020 figures, are well supported by the visual evidence. However, to reach a higher level, the response could integrate more detailed cross-sector comparisons throughout rather than treating each trend somewhat in isolation, which reflects a characteristic of the current band where some ideas are slightly more developed than others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression throughout the text. Information is generally well sequenced, moving smoothly from manufacturing to retail and healthcare, and finally to agriculture. Cohesive devices such as 'however', 'compared to this', and 'although' are used to connect ideas, though referencing and transitional phrases occasionally feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing could be further optimized by breaking the text into a clearer structure separating the overview, body details, and comparisons, which bridges the gap to the next higher band descriptor.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

A sufficient range of vocabulary is used with enough flexibility and precision to communicate the trends effectively. The writer attempts less common lexical items and phrases such as 'boasted the highest number', 'swift decline', 'upwards trajectory', and 'plateaued'. There is a good awareness of collocation and style, although minor inaccuracies appear, such as the phrasing 'with people employed increasing' and 'both the sectors'. These infrequent slips do not impede communication and are typical of a solid performance at this level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The writer employs a good variety of complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'although' and participial phrases like 'making it the sector with the least number'. There are frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating good control of grammar and punctuation overall. While minor errors persist—such as the missing definite article in 'both the sectors' or slightly cumbersome phrasing in longer relative clauses—they do not interfere with understanding. This mix of complex forms with good overall accuracy firmly positions the grammatical performance at this level.

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