Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-01
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 information illuminates the trend of change of population of New York city comprising of five districts, namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island in the year of 1800, 1900 and 2000.
Overall, there is a dramatic upward trend of number of populations from 1800 to 2000 in all five districts of New York city. As the year progressed, more people opted to live in other parts of the city instead of Manhattan.
Regarding year 1800, approximately 80 thousand people used to live in New York city. Out of those people, sixty thousands of them were from Manhattan alone attributing to about 76% of the whole population of New York City.
In the year 1900, New York city saw a significant rise of population which was just a shy of 3.5 million people. However, the figure of Manhattan fell to 54% and other districts saw a rise of population to 46% which corresponds to about 1.5 million people.
After hundred years, although total population count of the city became more that 8 million, the Manhattan districts got some breathing room as its population count came down to a all-time low of just above 1.5 million. On the other hand, other parts of the city faced a dramatic increment of people with a figure of nearly 6.5 million which was about 81% people of the whole New York City.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response covers all parts of the task well. You have successfully identified the main trends and provided relevant data comparisons across the three time periods. The overview is clear and highlights the significant shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis could be slightly more precise; for instance, you mention that Manhattan's population came down to an 'all-time low' of 1.5 million in 2000, but the data shows it was actually higher than in 1800 or 1900. Despite this minor interpretative error, the key features are well-selected and supported by the provided figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. Cohesive devices such as 'Regarding', 'In the year', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion, but the current structure is clear and easy to follow throughout the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dramatic upward trend', 'increment', and 'attributing to'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'number of populations' (population count is more natural) and 'the Manhattan districts got some breathing room' (which is too informal for an academic report). However, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information clearly, and the errors do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the trend of change of population of New York city' (missing articles and awkward phrasing) and 'more that 8 million' (should be 'more than'). Additionally, 'sixty thousands' is incorrect; it should be 'sixty thousand'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the data. The control of grammar is generally good, but more attention to articles and pluralization would improve accuracy.
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