Cambridge IELTS 21 Test 1 Writing Task 1: US Jobs Line Graph
Cambridge IELTS 21 · Test 1 · Academic Writing Task 1Line graph
The line graph shows the number of jobs in four sectors of the US economy (manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare) between 1960 and 2020. Figures are given in millions of jobs at twenty-year intervals: 1960, 1980, 2000 and 2020.
The question
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. 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. Write at least 150 words. Write at least 150 words.
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Key features to report
- Manufacturing is the largest employer for most of the period but follows a rise-then-fall pattern: about 15 million jobs in 1960, a peak of 20 million in 1980, then 17 million in 2000 and about 13 million in 2020.
- Retail grows throughout, from about 6 million jobs in 1960 to 10 million in 1980 and 15 million in 2000, after which growth slows to about 16 million in 2020.
- Healthcare shows the most dramatic growth, from only about 2 million jobs in 1960 to 5 million in 1980, 11 million in 2000 and around 16 million in 2020, an eightfold increase.
- Agriculture is the only sector that declines overall: it starts level with retail at about 6 million in 1960, halves to 3 million by 1980, stays at 3 million in 2000 and slips to about 2 million in 2020, the lowest figure in the final year.
- The key crossing point comes between 2000 and 2020, when both retail and healthcare overtake manufacturing, so by 2020 manufacturing has fallen from first to third place, with retail and healthcare roughly level at about 16 million.
- Healthcare also overtakes agriculture before 1980: it starts below agriculture in 1960 but has more jobs by 1980.
Model overview
Overall, employment in retail and especially healthcare rose steadily over the 60 years, while agriculture shrank and manufacturing grew at first before falling. As a result, manufacturing, which had been by far the largest sector, was overtaken by both retail and healthcare by 2020.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase the task in one sentence: the line graph compares how many people were employed in manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in the United States from 1960 to 2020, measured in millions of jobs.
- 2
Overview
Give the main trends without figures: retail and healthcare grew, agriculture declined, manufacturing rose then fell, and by 2020 manufacturing had lost its position as the biggest employer to retail and healthcare.
- 3
Body paragraph 1: the declining sectors
Describe manufacturing and agriculture. Give manufacturing's figures of about 15 million in 1960, the peak of 20 million in 1980, and the fall to 17 million and then about 13 million. Contrast with agriculture halving from about 6 million to 3 million by 1980, remaining stable to 2000 and ending at about 2 million.
- 4
Body paragraph 2: the growing sectors
Describe retail and healthcare. Retail rose from about 6 million to 15 million by 2000, then levelled off at about 16 million. Healthcare climbed from just 2 million to 11 million in 2000 and about 16 million in 2020, overtaking manufacturing and drawing level with retail.
Useful comparisons
- Group the sectors by direction: retail and healthcare grow, while manufacturing and agriculture are lower in 2020 than at their peak.
- Compare the starting points in 1960: manufacturing far ahead at about 15 million, retail and agriculture equal at about 6 million, healthcare lowest at about 2 million.
- Compare the end points in 2020: retail and healthcare roughly level at about 16 million, manufacturing about 13 million, agriculture only about 2 million.
- Highlight the crossing points: healthcare passes agriculture before 1980, and retail and healthcare both overtake manufacturing between 2000 and 2020.
- Compare the scale of change: healthcare increases roughly eightfold, retail nearly triples, while agriculture falls to about a third of its 1960 level.
- Contrast the shape of the manufacturing line (a peak in 1980 followed by steady decline) with the continuous rise of healthcare.
Band 8+ model answer
202 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
The line graph compares the number of people employed in four sectors of the US economy, namely manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare, between 1960 and 2020.
Overall, employment in retail and especially healthcare rose steadily over the period, whereas agriculture shrank and manufacturing grew at first before declining. As a result, manufacturing, which had long been by far the largest employer, had been overtaken by both retail and healthcare by 2020.
In 1960, manufacturing provided about 15 million jobs, and this figure rose to a peak of 20 million in 1980. It then fell to 17 million in 2000 and to around 13 million in 2020. Agriculture, which began at about 6 million jobs, halved to 3 million by 1980, remained stable for the next two decades and slipped to only about 2 million by the end of the period.
By contrast, retail employment climbed from roughly 6 million in 1960 to 15 million in 2000, after which it levelled off at about 16 million. Healthcare saw the most dramatic growth: starting from just 2 million jobs, it reached 11 million in 2000 and around 16 million in 2020, an eightfold increase that left it level with retail and ahead of manufacturing.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Achievement
- The answer gives a clear overview of the contrasting trends and the change in the leading sector, then supports each key feature with accurate figures, including manufacturing's 1980 peak and the 2020 crossover, without listing every data point.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- The sectors are grouped logically into those that declined and those that grew, and referencing and linking such as by contrast, then, after which and as a result connect the comparisons smoothly.
- Lexical Resource
- Varied trend vocabulary such as peaked at, halved, levelled off, an eightfold increase and drew level with is used precisely, and jobs is paraphrased as employment and people employed.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- The answer controls past simple and past perfect forms, relative clauses and participle clauses, and uses comparative structures accurately throughout.
Useful vocabulary
- sector of the economy
- a part of the economy made up of similar industries, such as retail or healthcare
- employment
- the number of people who have jobs; a useful synonym for jobs
- the workforce
- all the people who work in a particular sector or country
- peak at
- reach the highest point before falling
- overtake
- rise above the figure for another sector
- draw level with
- reach the same figure as another sector
- level off
- stop rising or falling and stay at about the same level
- halve
- fall to half of the previous figure
- an eightfold increase
- a rise to eight times the original number
- remain stable
- stay at the same level
- steady decline
- a continuous fall at a fairly even rate
- the largest employer
- the sector that provides the most jobs
- shrink
- become smaller in size or number
Common mistakes
- Writing about percentages when the graph shows the number of jobs in millions, or forgetting the unit altogether and writing that manufacturing had 20 jobs.
- Describing manufacturing as declining throughout and missing its rise to a peak of 20 million in 1980.
- Leaving out the most important feature: retail and healthcare both overtaking manufacturing between 2000 and 2020.
- Describing each of the four lines year by year in separate paragraphs instead of grouping and comparing the sectors.
- Claiming that healthcare clearly overtakes retail in 2020, when the two lines finish at almost the same point, about 16 million.
- Giving reasons for the changes, such as automation or an ageing population, which are not shown in the graph and are not required.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- This line graph about the number of jobs in manufacturing, retail, agriculture and healthcare in the US from 1960 to 2020 is Writing Task 1 of Test 1 in Cambridge IELTS 21 Academic.
- What is the most important feature to include?
- The shift in the leading sector: manufacturing employed the most people for decades but had been overtaken by both retail and healthcare by 2020. This belongs in the overview as well as the body.
- Do I need to mention every figure on the graph?
- No. With 16 data points, select the start and end values, manufacturing's 1980 peak and the crossing points, and give approximate figures such as about 16 million.
- How many words should I write for this Task 1?
- Write at least 150 words; around 170-200 words is enough to cover the overview and the key comparisons in about 20 minutes.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.