Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-04

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 first table provides data about the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The two tables provide information about the population as well as the change in population in five districts of the city over the same period.

Overall, the population of New York City increased every century and reached the highest level at the end of the period. Manhattan had the highest share at the beginning of the period and the lowest in the ending of the period, while the other four districts witnessed the opposite trend as compared to Manhattan.

In 1800, the total population of New York's five districts was 79216, with Manhattan accounting for 60515 with 76% of the total population, while the other four districts had a population of 18701 with a proportion of 24%. In 1900, the individuals of New York stood at 3,437,202. Although the population of Manhattan increased and stayed at 1,850,093, the share of total inhabitants decreased to 54%. The proportion of the other four districts showed significant growth with 46% in total population, with a figure of [redacted phone] in 1900.

By 2000, the city’s population had risen further to 8,009,185. Manhattan’s population fell slightly to 1,538,096, reducing its share to 19%. In contrast, the combined population of the other districts increased substantially to 6,471,089, accounting for 81% of New York City’s residents overall.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively addresses the prompt by summarizing the main trends in New York City's population growth and the shifting distribution across its five districts. You successfully identified the key features, such as the overall growth and the inverse trends between Manhattan and the other districts. The data is accurately reported, and the comparisons are relevant and well-supported by the figures provided. To reach a higher band, ensure that you explicitly mention all five districts by name or group them more clearly in the overview to provide a more comprehensive summary of the data provided in the tables.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. Cohesive devices such as 'In 1800', 'In 1900', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the historical data from the final 2000 figures. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between the total population and the district-specific data is clearly established. The response demonstrates a good command of organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision, using terms like 'proportion', 'inhabitants', and 'substantially'. There is a good attempt to use varied language to describe trends, such as 'witnessed the opposite trend' and 'accounting for'. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task, it lacks the sophisticated, less common collocations that would characterize a higher band. However, the word choice is consistently natural and does not impede communication, making it a solid performance for this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammatical control is strong throughout. There are minor issues, such as 'the individuals of New York' which is slightly unnatural, and 'in the ending of the period' which should be 'at the end of the period'. Despite these minor slips, the majority of your sentences are accurate, and your use of punctuation is correct. The grammatical range is sufficient to support the clear communication of the data.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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