Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-28
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 6.5)
The given tables show the information about population change of New York city from 1800 to 2000 with its five districts as well named Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten islands.
Overall, the population of city increased rapidly over the period of time. Additionally, the ratio of Manhattan was decreased whereas others saw inclined in ratio combined of the total population.
The population of New York city was 79,216 in 1800 and rose significantly in next century by more that forth times. Moreover, the population kept increasing in next century as well. At this moment, the growth rate was more the double that of 1900 reaching the total of 8,009,185 in 2000.
The Manhattan district had the highest rate of contribution of 76% which is more than triple that the rest of combined whereas the ratio dipped in next century and reached to only 54% while other contributed 46%. Furthermore, the proportion of Manhattan saw huge declined as a result other gain a huge ration. Ultimately, they surpassed the ratio of Manhattan by more than four times reaching 81%
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response covers the main features of the population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the overall increase and the shift in proportions, the specific data points for the other districts are largely ignored, and the description of the trends is occasionally imprecise (e.g., 'forth times' instead of 'fourfold'). To reach a higher band, ensure you provide more specific comparisons between the districts throughout the period, rather than focusing almost exclusively on Manhattan. The overview is present but could be more clearly linked to the specific data trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Additionally', and 'Furthermore'. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and some mechanical transitions. For instance, the transition 'At this moment' is used incorrectly to refer to a historical period. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the 'other' districts, which makes the progression of ideas feel slightly disjointed. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help the information flow more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'inclined in ratio' instead of 'an increase in the proportion' and 'huge ration' instead of 'huge ratio'. Additionally, there are spelling errors like 'forth' (should be 'four') and 'declined' (should be 'decline'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and the presence of these errors limit the score. Using more precise terminology for trends, such as 'proportion', 'percentage', and 'distribution', would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the ratio of Manhattan was decreased' (passive voice error), 'more that forth times' (preposition and spelling error), and 'other gain a huge ration' (subject-verb agreement). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct use of articles, and ensuring that passive and active voice constructions are used accurately.
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