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.

Same questionCompare 3 different answers (Band 5.5–7)

Sample Response

1

The first table gives data on New York City's overall population growth between 1800 and 2000, while the remaining tables break down these figures by district.illustrates how the total population of New York City changed during a 200-year period from 1800 to 2000, while the second and third tables demonstrate changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same period.

2

Overall, New York City experienced a population explosion from 1800 to 2000, as did its five districtsas well as the 5 districts. However, the distribution shifted significantlychanged obviously, with population migrating from Manhattan to other districts. In 1800, the total population of New York was only 79,216, comprising 60,515 residents in Manhattanconsisting of the population in Manhattan (60,515) and the other 4 districts combined (18,701). The figure increased dramatically to 3.43 million in 1900, with over 1.85 million residents living in Manhattan and 1.58 million living in the other four districtsliving in other 4 cities. The total population surged to over 8 million at the end of the period, with the population of the other 4 districts climbing sharply to 6.47 millionrocketing to 6.47 million in 2000. In contrast, Manhattan saw a slight population decrease, ending with 1.53 million in 2000.

3

From the perspective of population distribution, the total population was divided between Manhattan and the other four districts. Manhattan was by far the largest district in 1800, accounting for 76% of the total population. However, the figure decreased to 54% in 1900, and dropped to only 19% in 2000. In contrast, the percentage of the other four districtsdistrict consistentlyconstantly rose to 81% at the end of the period.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 7.0

The response effectively summarizes the data, offering a clear overview and accurate numerical comparisons across the three time periods. Paragraphing and cohesive structure are well-managed, allowing for smooth progression throughout the report. To enhance the report further, ensure accurate vocabulary usage when referring to regional categories and refine minor grammatical agreements in complex sentences.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TA

Task Achievement

7.0
Scoring rule

The main trends and key figures from all three tables are highlighted and accurately reported with a clear overall summary.

Next step

Incorporate specific breakdowns or comparisons between individual key figures to provide even deeper analytical insight.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

7.0
Scoring rule

Information is organized logically into distinct paragraphs with a smooth and clear overall progression.

Next step

Vary cohesive transitions slightly more between paragraphs to avoid repetitive linking phrases when introducing visual data.

LR

Lexical Resource

7.0
Scoring rule

A good range of topic-specific vocabulary and data descriptors is used effectively throughout the task.

Next step

Maintain precise terminology by ensuring administrative regions are consistently referred to as districts rather than cities.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

7.0
Scoring rule

A wide variety of simple and complex sentence structures are controlled well with frequent error-free sentences.

Next step

Ensure subject-verb and noun plural agreements remain consistently precise across all comparative clauses.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

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.

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