Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28
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 three tables show changes in the population of New York City as a whole and the populations of Manhattan and the other four districts between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, the population of New York City increased considerably during the period. However, Manhattan's share of the total population decreased, while the other four districts became home to a much larger proportion of the city's population.
In 1800, New York City had a total population of 79,216. Of this, 60,515 people lived in Manhattan, accounting for 76% of the city's population. The remaining 18,701 people lived in the other four districts, which represented 24% of the total.
By 1900, the city's population had risen sharply to 3,437,202. Manhattan's population also increased to 1,850,093, but its share fell to 54%. In comparison, the population of the other districts reached 1,587,109, making up 46% of the total.
In 2000, the total population had grown further to 8,009,185. Interestingly, Manhattan's population decreased slightly to 1,538,096, and its proportion fell dramatically to just 19%. Meanwhile, the other four districts grew to 6,471,089 people, accounting for 81% of the city's population.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0
The student fully addresses all parts of the prompt by summarising the information from the three tables effectively. The response covers the overall growth of New York City's population from 1800 to 2000, and successfully compares Manhattan's trajectory with that of the other four districts. Key features, such as Manhattan holding 76% of the population in 1800 before dropping to 19% in 2000, are accurately selected and reported. Data points are cited correctly without any notable misreadings or unsupported assumptions. The overview clearly highlights the main trends, satisfying all requirements of the Band 8 and Band 9 descriptors for Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The text is logically organised with a clear progression from introduction to overview, and subsequent body paragraphs that follow a chronological order. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively, such as 'However', 'Of this', 'In comparison', and 'Meanwhile', which help guide the reader smoothly through the data comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each main time period given its own dedicated paragraph. The overall arrangement is coherent, fully meeting the criteria for a high band score in Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 7.0
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible vocabulary suitable for an academic task, using terms like 'considerably', 'proportion', 'accounting for', and 'dramatically'. Word choice and collocations are generally precise, as seen in phrases such as 'share of the total population' and 'rose sharply'. There are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. While slightly more uncommon lexical items could be integrated, the range utilised is more than sufficient for a strong performance at this level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
The student employs a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, demonstrating control over grammatical forms. Examples include subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as 'accounting for 76% of the city\'s population' and 'making up 46% of the total'. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, and punctuation is handled accurately throughout the response. Grammatical control is strong, matching the expectations of the Band 8 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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