Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-30

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 first table illustrates changes in the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The second and third tables show the changes in the population of five districts over the same period. Overall, the total population of New York City increased dramatically over the period, while the percentage of Manhattan of the total population decreased and the proportion of other districts increased. In New York City, the total number of people stood at 79,216 in 1800, before a drastic rise to 3,437,202 in 1900. The population peaked at 8,009,185 in 2000. In addition, the total population of Manhattan climbed from 60,515 to 1,538,096 between 1800 and 2000, whereas the percentage of total population experienced a decline from 76% to 19% over the given time. By contrast, the population of other districts stand at 18,701 in 1800, which grew to 1,587,109 in 1900, before reaching 6,471,089 in the final year. The proportion of the total population for other districts was 24% in 1800. After that, it gradually rose to 46% in 1900, and 81% in 2000 respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response effectively identifies the main trends and provides a clear overview. You have successfully highlighted the dramatic growth in total population and the shifting proportions between Manhattan and the other districts. The data is accurately reported, and you have made relevant comparisons between the start and end points. To reach a higher band, ensure you include more specific data points for the intermediate years (e.g., 1900) for all categories, rather than just focusing on the start and end, to provide a more comprehensive summary of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You have used cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'by contrast', and 'in addition' to link ideas effectively. The progression of information is easy to follow. To improve, ensure that your paragraphing is balanced; currently, the second body paragraph is slightly longer, and you could improve the flow by using more varied transition signals to connect the specific data points to the broader trends you have identified.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a data description task, such as 'drastic rise', 'peaked', 'climbed', and 'proportion'. The language is precise and conveys the information clearly. There is a minor issue with the phrasing 'percentage of Manhattan of the total population', which is slightly awkward. Using more varied collocations for describing trends, such as 'experienced a significant surge' or 'accounted for a diminishing share', would further enhance the sophistication of your writing.

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 easy to understand. However, there are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'the population of other districts stand at', where the verb should be in the past tense ('stood'). Additionally, the use of 'respectively' at the end of the final sentence is slightly redundant given the context. Overall, your control of grammar is strong, and these minor errors do not impede communication.

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