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)

The given tables illustrate how the population of New York city as a whole and its five districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) changed between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, it is readily clear that there was a sudden growth in the city's population. It is also notable that while Manhattan initially held the overwhelming majority of the total residents, its proportion gradually declined as people became more evenly distributed across the other regions.

In the year 1800, New York City had only over 79,000 residents, with Manhattan alone housing approximately 60,500 people or 76% of the total. The other four districts were slightly populated, collectively accommodating fewer than 19,000 people.

A hundred years later, population climbed to roughly 35 lakhs. Meanwhile, although Manhattan's inhabitants rose around 1.85 million, its share of the city's total fell to 54%, while a surge to 46% was observed in the four remaining districts. By 2000, New York's residents reached over 8 million. However, Manhattan noticed a slight decrease in population to 1,54 million, representing just 19% of the total. Meanwhile, the other districts reached to over 6.4 million accounting 81%, reflecting a shift in population distribution within the city.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response effectively covers all parts of the task. You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. The data is accurately reported, and the comparison between the start, middle, and end points of the period is clear. The overview is well-constructed and provides a concise summary of the key features. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are presented in a standard format; for example, using '3.5 million' instead of '35 lakhs' is essential for an international audience, as 'lakhs' is not standard in IELTS Academic tasks.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction, the overview, and the detailed body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'However', and 'By 2000' are used effectively to link sentences and guide the reader through the data. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information flows smoothly from one point to the next. The structure is coherent throughout, and the referencing of the different districts is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the trends, such as 'overwhelming majority', 'gradually declined', and 'surge'. The language is generally precise and appropriate for an academic report. However, there are some minor issues with numerical formatting, such as '1,54 million' (which should be '1.54 million') and the use of 'lakhs', which is not standard in this context. While these do not impede communication, they slightly affect the professional tone of the report. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would further enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There are a few minor slips, such as 'reached to over 6.4 million' (the verb 'reach' does not take 'to') and 'accounting 81%' (which should be 'accounting for 81%'). These are minor errors that do not hinder understanding. Your control over punctuation and sentence construction is solid, providing a clear and readable text throughout the response.

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