Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-07

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 tabular representation depicts the variation in the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000, while the second and third diagrams illustrate changes in the number of people living in the five districts of the city, namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, over the same time frame.

Overall, the population of New York City has surged since 1800. While Manhattan contributed largely towards it back in 1800, its share in the total population gradually decreased over time. On the contrary, the proportion of people living in other districts has steadily increased.

At first glance at the tables, it is abundantly clear that the total count of people residing in New York City in 1800 was 79,216, which soared to a whopping 3,437,202 in 1900 and further increased to 8,009,185 in 2000. Moreover, Manhattan's population in 1800 was 60,515, which increased to 1,850,093 in 1900. In addition, the share of Manhattan's population in the total population of the city reduced by 57% from 1800 to 2000.

Moving further, while other districts comprising Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island contributed just 24% towards the total population of New York City in the year 1800, the total population living in these districts increased to 1,587,109 in 1900 and then further increased by 4,883,980 in 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response effectively identifies the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. You have selected key data points to support your observations, such as the total population figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000. However, the analysis of the data could be more precise. For instance, stating that Manhattan's share 'reduced by 57%' is slightly ambiguous; it would be clearer to state that it fell from approximately 76% to 19%. Additionally, the final paragraph mentions an increase of '4,883,980' for the other districts, which is a specific calculation but lacks a clear comparison to the total growth. Overall, you have covered the requirements well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information by theme. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover,' 'In addition,' and 'Moving further' to transition between ideas, which helps the reader follow your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas from the general city-wide trend to specific district-level changes is logical. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between sentences is always smooth; occasionally, the transition between the raw data and the analytical commentary feels slightly mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'tabular representation,' 'surged,' 'soared,' and 'abundantly clear' to describe the data. This shows an ability to use less common lexical items with some awareness of style. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To improve further, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations related to data interpretation, such as 'accounted for a significant proportion' or 'experienced a marked decline,' rather than relying on slightly more informal phrasing like 'whopping.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. For example, the use of 'While Manhattan contributed... its share... decreased' demonstrates good control over complex sentence forms. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate. There are no major grammatical slips that cause confusion. To aim for a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex structures, such as using passive voice or participle clauses to describe the data trends more concisely (e.g., 'Having accounted for the majority of the population in 1800, Manhattan's share subsequently declined').

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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