Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The three tables present data regarding changes in the total population of New York city and its distribution between Manhattan and other four districts, Brooklyn, Bronx, queens and Staten island in the years 1800, 1900 and 2000.

overall, New York city's total population grew very fast over these two hundred years. At first, most people lived in Manhattan. By the end, other four districts grew much faster, and they held the vast majority of the city's population.

In 1800, New York city had 79,216 people, and Manhattan held 76% of them with 60,515 residents. By 1900, the total population jumped to 3,437,202 and Manhattan grew to 1,850,093, then it's fell to 54%. By 2000, Manhattans population dropped to 1,538,295 and 19% of the 8,009,185 total.

The other districts started with just 18,701 people in 1800, which was 24% of the city. Their population grew fast to 1,587,109 by 1900, reaching 46% of the total. By 2000, their numbers increased to 6,471,089 and reaching 81% of the total.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main trends in population growth for New York City and its districts. You successfully highlighted the shift from Manhattan's dominance to the growth of the other districts. However, the analysis could be improved by including more specific comparisons between the individual districts (e.g., noting that Brooklyn or Queens became the most populous) rather than grouping them all as 'other districts'. While the key features are reported, a more nuanced breakdown of the data would push this into a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use basic cohesive devices like 'In 1800', 'By 1900', and 'By 2000' to sequence the information chronologically. However, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is slightly abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect sentences and ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'distribution', 'residents', and 'total population' correctly. There are some minor errors in capitalization (e.g., 'queens', 'staten island') and a few awkward phrasings such as 'it's fell to 54%'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Incorporating more varied verbs to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'plummeted', or 'accounted for', would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'other four districts' (should be 'the other four districts'), 'Manhattans population' (missing apostrophe), and 'reaching 81% of the total' (which is a fragment when used as a sentence). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence has a clear main verb to improve your accuracy.

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