Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-21

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 tables provide information about changes in the population of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and overall New York city between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, New York city and all districts except Manhattan experienced a considerable increase in their population, whereas Manhattan experienced a substantial decline over the period.

In 1800, 79,216 number of people were living in New York among which 76% of the population was living in Manhattan. Residents of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island increased significantly to 1,587,109 in 1900 from 18,701 in 1800, but population of Manhattan peaked at 1,850,093 in 1900 contributing 54% to the overall population (3,437,202) of New York.

Population of New York climbed up to 8,009,185 in 2000 but Manhattan experienced a dip in the proportion of its population at 19%. Meanwhile, the population in other districts reached a peak of 6,471,089 which was 81% of the total New York Population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student covers all parts of the task well by reporting key population figures and proportions for New York City and its districts across the years 1800, 1900, and 2000. An effective overall summary is provided, highlighting the contrast between Manhattan and the other districts. Accurate data points are selected and compared, such as Manhattan peaking at 1,850,093 in 1900 and dropping to 19% by 2000, while the other districts grew to account for 81% of the total population. The response satisfies all requirements of Task 1 for an Academic test.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory statement, moves to an overview paragraph, and then follows a chronological structure from 1800 to 2000. Cohesive devices are used effectively to connect ideas, such as 'whereas', 'among which', and 'Meanwhile'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. Referencing and progression are clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'considerable increase', 'substantial decline', and 'peaked at' demonstrate a good awareness of academic style and collocation. However, there are a few minor vocabulary inaccuracies or awkward phrasings, such as writing '79,216 number of people were living' instead of 'a population of 79,216'. Overall, the lexical range is adequate to convey precise trends and proportions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and subordinate conjunctions effectively (e.g., 'whereas Manhattan experienced a substantial decline over the period'). Grammatical control is generally strong with many error-free sentences, though minor slips occur, such as omitting an article before 'New York city' in the introduction. Punctuation and sentence boundaries are well managed throughout.

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

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