Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The first table below shows changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The second and third tables show changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same period.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 7.5)

The tables illustrate changes in the population of New York City and its districts—specifically Manhattan and the other four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island)—in three different years: 1800, 1900, and 2000.

Overall, the total population of New York City grew significantly over the two-century period. While Manhattan initially held the vast majority of the city's population, its share declined continuously as the other districts experienced dramatic growth.

In 1800, the total population of New York City was 79,216. By 1900, this figure had increased rapidly to over 3.4 million, and it reached a peak of 8,009,185 in the year 2000.

In contrast, the combined population of the other districts was just 18,701 (24%) in 1800. This number climbed steadily to nearly 1.6 million (46%) in 1900, before surging to 6,471,089 by 2000, which made up the majority (81%) of New York City's total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main trends and provides relevant data points from the tables. However, the task requires a minimum of 150 words, and this response is slightly under the limit at 146 words. Additionally, while the overview is clear, the report lacks a detailed breakdown of the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) beyond grouping them together. To reach a higher band, you should ensure you meet the word count requirement and provide a more granular analysis of the data provided in the tables, rather than just summarizing the aggregate figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is well-organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the general city-wide trends to the specific shifts in district populations. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'While', and 'before surging to' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the supporting data. The structure is coherent and easy to follow, which is a strength of this piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a data description task, such as 'illustrate', 'significantly', 'declined continuously', and 'surging'. The use of percentages and specific figures is accurate and adds precision to the report. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors. To improve, you could incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increased' or 'grew' to demonstrate a wider lexical range, as these terms are repeated throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have successfully used subordinate clauses (e.g., 'While Manhattan initially held...') and relative clauses (e.g., 'which made up the majority...'). Punctuation is used correctly, particularly with the use of em-dashes and commas to manage parenthetical information. There are no major grammatical errors that impede communication. The control of tense and number agreement is consistent throughout the response.

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