Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-16
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 tables provide information about changes in the population of New York City and its five districts between 1800 and 2000.
- Overall, what stands out from the tables is that the total population of New York City increased dramatically during the period. However, Manhattan's proportion of total population declined considerably, while the other four districts accounted for an increasingly larger share.
- In 1800, New York City had a total population of 79,216, of whom 60,515 (76%) lived in Manhattan. The remaining districts had only 18,701 people, representing 24% of the total. By 1900, the city's population had risen sharply to 3,437,202. Manhattan's population also increased substantially to 1,850,093, although its share fell to 54%. Meanwhile, the other districts reached 1,587,109, accounting for 46%.
- Delving deeper into the details, by 2000, the total population had more than doubled again, reaching 8,008,278. In contrast to the overall trend, Manhattan's population decreased to 1,538,096, and its share fell dramatically to just 19%. The population of the other districts, however, rose sharply to 6471, 089 representing 81% of the city's total population.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing an accurate overview and selecting key features from both tables across the years 1800, 1900, and 2000. The comparison between Manhattan and the other districts is highlighted effectively with accurate data points, such as Manhattan's population share falling from 76% in 1800 to 19% in 2000. Data is generally reported correctly, though there is a minor numerical typo for the total 2000 population in the final paragraph ('8,008,278' instead of the provided '8,009,185'), which is a very minor slip. The overall response is well-structured and fully satisfies the requirements of Academic Task 1.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
Information and ideas are logically sequenced throughout the response. The writing begins with an introductory statement, followed by a clear overview paragraph that captures the main trends. Subsequent paragraphs delve into the specific details chronologically and topically. Cohesive devices are used appropriately ('However', 'Meanwhile', 'Delving deeper into the details', 'In contrast to the overall trend'), and paragraphing is managed skilfully to separate the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs without any obtrusive or mechanical transitions.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical range suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Vocabulary is used precisely to describe trends and proportions, such as 'increased dramatically', 'declined considerably', 'rose sharply', and 'proportion'. There is successful use of less common vocabulary items and phrasing like 'accounted for an increasingly larger share' and 'more than doubled again'. Word choices and collocations are accurate, with only rare minor flaws that do not impede communication at all.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response exhibits a wide range of sentence structures, combining simple and complex forms seamlessly. The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating excellent control of grammar, punctuation, and relative clauses (e.g., 'of whom 60,515 (76%) lived in Manhattan'). Minor issues are virtually non-existent, apart from a minor formatting or spacing typo in the final paragraph ('6471, 089'), which is a mechanical slip rather than a grammatical error. Grammar and punctuation are maintained at a high level of accuracy throughout.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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