Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-29

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 table provides the information about the total population of New York City and Manhattan along with other districts of the city in between 1800, 1900, and 2000.

Overall, the total population shows a greater increase over the period of time. Manhattan recorded the highest change in population, while other districts showed remarkable growth in the population by 2000.

In 1800, the total population rose significantly from 79,216 to 3,437,202 in between 1800 and 1900, before reaching its peak of about 8,009,185 in 2000. Manhattan populations increased from 60,515 in 1800 to 1,850,093 in 1900 but then fell moderately to 1,538,096 in 2000. Consequently, its share of the city population declined steadily from 76% to 54% and finally up to 19%.

In contrast, the population of other districts grew continuously, rising from 18,701 in 1800 to 1,587,109 in 1900 and then surging to 6,471,089 in 2000. Their proportion of total population also increased considerably , from 24% to 46% and ultimately 81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the population changes. You included relevant data points to support your descriptions, such as the peak population in 2000 and the shifting percentages of Manhattan's share. However, the task required summarizing the information for all five districts. While you grouped them as 'other districts,' the prompt provided specific data for Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. To achieve a higher band, you should briefly mention the individual growth of these specific districts rather than grouping them entirely, as this would provide a more comprehensive report of the provided tables.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast,' 'Consequently,' and 'before reaching' to link ideas effectively. The progression of information is easy to follow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the total city data from the district-specific data. To improve, ensure that the transition between the general city trends and the specific district breakdown is slightly smoother to avoid a mechanical feel.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'surging to,' 'declined steadily,' and 'recorded the highest change' are used accurately. There is a minor error in the introduction where you wrote 'in between 1800, 1900, and 2000,' which is slightly unnatural; 'between 1800 and 2000' would be more precise. Overall, the vocabulary is appropriate for an Academic Task 1 report, though incorporating more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would enhance the lexical variety.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free. There is a minor punctuation error where you placed a space before a comma ('considerably ,'). Additionally, the phrase 'in between 1800 and 1900' is slightly redundant. Despite these minor slips, your control over grammar is good, and your meaning is never obscured. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as passive voice or relative clauses, to describe the data trends.

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