Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-12

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 8.5)

The tables compare the overall population of New York City in 1800, 1900 and 2000 with how that population was divided between Manhattan and the city's other four boroughs.

Overall, the city's population rose dramatically throughout the period, but this growth was accompanied by a marked shift in where New Yorkers lived: Manhattan's share fell steadily, while the combined share of the other four boroughs climbed to become the clear majority by 2000.

In 1800, New York City had just 79,216 residents, and Manhattan alone housed 60,515 of them, or 76% of the total. The remaining boroughs together held only 18,701 people (24%). By 1900, the population had surged to 3,437,202. Although Manhattan's population had grown substantially, to 1,850,093, its share of the total slipped to 54%, narrowing the gap with the other boroughs, whose combined population of 1,587,109 now made up 46%.

This shift continued more sharply over the next century. By 2000, the city's total had climbed further still, to 8,009,185, yet Manhattan's population actually contracted to 1,538,096, just 19% of the total. In contrast, the other four boroughs expanded enormously to 6,471,089 residents, giving them a dominant 81% share — almost the exact reverse of the 1800 distribution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by selecting, reporting, and comparing the main features of the population tables for New York City and its districts across the years 1800, 1900, and 2000. An effective overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting the dramatic overall growth and the structural shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the outer boroughs. Specific data points, such as the 1800 total of 79,216 residents and the 2000 breakdown where Manhattan held 19% compared to the 81% share of the other boroughs, are accurately reported and skillfully integrated to support the comparisons. The data is treated accurately and the key trends are comprehensively covered, earning a top band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The report exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is coherently structured, starting with a concise introductory sentence, followed by an overarching summary of trends, and then moving chronologically through the data in the body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1800', 'By 1900', and 'In contrast' are used naturally and flexibly to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is fully appropriate, with each paragraph serving a distinct and logical function in presenting the data. Referencing and substitution are handled skillfully, ensuring that the relationships between Manhattan and the other four boroughs remain clear at all times.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a wide, flexible, and natural range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task report. Less common lexical items and collocations are used skillfully throughout the text, such as 'rose dramatically', 'marked shift', 'surged to', 'substantially', and 'contracted'. Word choice and collocations are precise, with accurate referencing to demographic terms like 'residents', 'boroughs', 'distribution', and 'share'. There are no spelling or word-formation errors, and the vocabulary choices contribute significantly to the fluency and precision of the response, matching the criteria for a high band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response features a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with a high degree of flexibility and accuracy. The writer successfully employs subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and contrasting structures, as seen in sentences like 'Although Manhattan's population had grown substantially, to 1,850,093, its share of the total slipped to 54%, narrowing the gap with the other boroughs...' Punctuation is handled expertly to control pacing and clarity. The vast majority of sentences are completely error-free, with only rare, minor slips entirely absent here, reflecting a very high level of grammatical control.

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