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 table provides data on the changes in the share of total population across five districts in New York City from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, in 1800, Manhattan was the most populated region, whereas the numbers in other districts were significantly lower. Population increased over the period, but the proportion of total population decreased in Manhattan, while the percentage grew rapidly in other cities.
In detail, New York City's total population was 79,216 in 1800 and 76% of these people lived in Manhattan, whereas the other 24% resided in other four districts. The number of people in New York went up to 3,437,202 in 1900. Manhattan was responsible for 54% of the total population and the rest of 46% lived in other four regions.
The population went up rapidly to 8,009,185 in 21st century, but the share of Manhattan in the total population of the city decreased to just 19% and the percentage of total population rose to 81% in the other four districts.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response effectively identifies the main trends, such as the shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts. It covers all parts of the task by referencing the total population figures and the percentage shares across the specified years. However, the analysis is somewhat limited; while it mentions the total figures and percentages, it could have been improved by providing more specific comparisons between the individual districts (e.g., the growth of Brooklyn or Queens) rather than grouping them as 'other four districts' throughout. Despite this, the key features are clearly highlighted and supported by the data provided in the tables.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'overall', and 'in detail' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the specific data points. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the general population trends to specific snapshots in 1800, 1900, and 2000. The referencing is generally accurate, though the flow could be slightly smoother with more varied transition phrases between the paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The vocabulary is sufficient for the task, allowing for clear communication of the data. Phrases like 'most populated region', 'proportion of total population', and 'resided in' are used correctly. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some phrasing is slightly repetitive (e.g., 'total population' is used frequently). To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and avoid repeating the same sentence structures when describing the percentages. The word choice is generally accurate and appropriate for an academic report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free and easy to follow. There are minor issues, such as 'resided in other four districts' (missing 'the') and 'in 21st century' (missing 'the'). These errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The use of complex structures, such as 'whereas the other 24% resided in...', shows a good level of control. To improve, the student should focus on article usage and ensuring consistent tense usage when discussing historical data.
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