Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-30

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 data is divided into three different tables. The first table contains the population of New York City with all five districts over the years 1800, 1900, and 2000. The second table displays the same data for a district in New York City called Manhattan alongside another column which shows the population corresponding to the year as a percentage of the total population. Lastly, the third table displays the same data with the new column, for the other remaining four districts.

Overall, Manhattan contributes significantly to New York's population in the first two centuries, while the other four districts share a significant amount of New York's population in the year 2000.

Comparing the two district graphs Manhattan had 60,515 people in the 1800, which was 76% of the whole population living in New York at that time. Then in the 1900 Manhattan had 54% of the 3.4 million people living in New York. However, in the 2000 population shifted to the other four districts resulting in a drastic jump from 46% to 81%.

In conclusion, Manhattan contributed more in the first two centuries, but population shifted to the other four districts in the 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main trends, but it lacks a detailed analysis of the data. While you correctly identify the shift from Manhattan to the other districts, you fail to mention the total population growth of New York City itself, which is a key feature of the first table. Furthermore, the data for the 'other four districts' is presented as a single group, missing the opportunity to compare individual districts like Brooklyn or Queens. The overview is present but could be more comprehensive by highlighting the most significant changes across all categories rather than just focusing on Manhattan.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Lastly', 'Overall', and 'However' to link ideas. However, the progression between the second and third paragraphs is slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the general population data and the specific district data could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and supporting details.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the main points clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'contributes significantly', 'drastic jump', and 'population shifted'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There is a lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary that would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. For instance, instead of repeating 'table' and 'data', you could use synonyms like 'chart', 'figures', or 'statistics' to improve the variety of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'in the 1800' (should be 'in 1800') and 'in the 2000' (should be 'in 2000'). There are also minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. Despite these errors, they do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more error-free sentences and a wider variety of complex grammatical structures.

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