Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

This table illustrate changes in total population of New York, Manhattan and other distcricts from [redacted phone]. Overall, New Yorks population increased increased dramatically over the 200-year p Beriod. While Manhattan was home to the majority of residents in 1800 its share of the total population gradually decreased. In contrast the combined population of Brooklyn the Bronx, Queens and Staten island grew rapidly and became the dominant residential area by 2000. In 1800, New York City had a population of only 79,216. This figure rose sharply to 3,437,202 in 1900 before reaching 8,009,185 in 2000. Manhattan's population increased from 60,515 in 1800 to a peak of 1,850,093 in 1900 but then fell to 1,538,096 by 2000. As a result, Its share of the city's populationdropped steadily from 76% to 54%, and finally to just 19%. By comparision, the population of the other four districts rose from only 18,701 in 1800 to 1,587,109 in 1900. Growth continued strongly, reaching 6,471,089 in 2000. Consequently, their proportion of the total population increased from 24% to 46% before climbing to 81% at the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively addresses all parts of the task. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts. The inclusion of specific data points from the tables supports your summary well. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the main features. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully integrated; for instance, you could explicitly contrast the growth rates of the individual districts more clearly, but overall, the task is well-covered.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and supporting body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'As a result', and 'By comparison' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. The flow of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. There are no significant issues with referencing or the use of linking words, making the structure very coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information precisely, using terms like 'dramatically', 'dominant', 'sharply', and 'proportion'. There are a few minor errors, such as 'distcricts' (spelling) and 'New Yorks' (missing apostrophe), but these do not impede communication. The vocabulary is generally appropriate for an academic report. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increased' and 'decreased' to avoid repetition and demonstrate a wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some minor grammatical slips, such as the repeated word 'increased increased' and the missing apostrophe in 'New Yorks', the majority of sentences are error-free. Punctuation is generally handled well, though there is a missing comma after '1800' in the second paragraph. The control over complex structures is good, and the errors present are non-systematic and do not cause any difficulty for the reader.

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