Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-25
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 6.5)
The first table illustrates total population of New York City in the years(1800,1900,2000). The second and third table provides information about population in the five districts of the city( Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same years.
Overall, In the year 1800, the population of Manhattan was highest followed by other districts, whereas in the year 2000, other districts(Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) have significant population increase compared to Manhattan.
The total population of the New York City in the year 1800 is 79,216.
By the year 1900, it increased to 3,437,202. Then by the year 2000, it reached to 8,009,185. The proportion of population increase in Manhattan is significantly fallen down in the year 2000, whereas the proportion of population increase in the other districts is significantly increased in the following years.
The population in the Manhattan in the year 1800 was 60,515 whereas in the other districts it was around 18,701. In the year 2000, the population at Manhattan was around 1,538,096 , whereas at the other districts it was around 6,471,089.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the total population and the trends across the five districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify the shift from Manhattan-centric growth to growth in other districts, the report lacks a more detailed breakdown of the specific data points provided in the tables. For instance, you could have highlighted the specific growth rates or compared the districts individually rather than grouping them as 'other districts' throughout. The overview is present but could be more analytical to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use basic cohesive devices like 'In the year 1800' and 'By the year 1900' to sequence the data. However, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is slightly abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the trends between the total population and the district-specific data more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on repetitive phrasing such as 'population increase' and 'significantly increased'. To improve, try to use more varied verbs and nouns to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'experienced a decline', or 'accounted for a significant proportion'. There are minor issues with word choice, such as 'proportion of population increase... is significantly fallen down', which is slightly unnatural. Expanding your range of synonyms will help convey the data more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is clear, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the New York City', 'the Manhattan') and verb tense consistency ('is significantly fallen down'). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'The total population of the New York City in the year 1800 is 79,216', where past tense should be used for historical data. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage will significantly improve your score.
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