Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-10
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 three tables illustrate the changes in the total population across five districts of New York City in 1800, 1900 and 2000.
From a broader overview, it is clear that the total population of New York City increased throughout the period. As the year passed, the percentage of contribution of Manhattan towards the total population of New York City decreased gradually. In contrast, the other four districts had accounted for the highest percentage of the total population in 2000.
Looking at the total population of New York City. In 1800, the population was 79,216, which rose significantly to 3,437,202 in 1900. This figure increased to a peak of 8,009,185 in 2000. The contribution of Manhattan district to the total population is shown below. In 1800, Manhattan held 76% of the total population, reported at 60,515. However, the percentage of contribution decreased to 54% in 1900, accounting for 1,850,093. In 2000, Manhattan held only 19% of the total population across five districts, at 1,538,096.
On the other hand, regrading the percentage of contribution of the other four districts: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. In 1800, these four districts together held 24% of the total population, at 18,701, which increased considerably to 1,587,109, holding 46% of the total population. These districts held 81% of the total population in 2000, accounting for 6,471,089.
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 successfully identifies the main trends in the data, specifically the overall population growth and the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other four districts. You have selected key data points to support your observations, which is essential for Task 1. However, the analysis could be improved by making more direct comparisons between the districts in 2000, rather than just listing the figures. Additionally, the prompt mentions five districts, but you have grouped four of them together throughout the report. While this is a valid way to handle the data, explicitly mentioning the individual districts at least once would have provided a more comprehensive summary of the provided tables.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and you have used cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'However', and 'On the other hand' to link your points effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the total population data from the district-specific data. To reach a higher band, ensure that your referencing is always precise; for example, in the second paragraph, the phrase 'the other four districts had accounted for' could be more smoothly integrated into the flow of the sentence to avoid a slightly mechanical feel.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'rose significantly', 'increased considerably', and 'percentage of contribution' are used effectively. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'regrading' (likely a typo for 'regarding') and the slightly repetitive use of 'contribution'. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and ensure that your collocations are precise. The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but lacks the sophistication or variety of less common lexical items that would characterize a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy communication. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as the sentence fragment 'Looking at the total population of New York City.' and the awkward phrasing 'As the year passed'. Additionally, there is a minor punctuation error in the final paragraph where a colon is used unnecessarily. While these errors do not impede meaning, they prevent the writing from being considered consistently error-free. Increasing the variety of complex structures would help improve your score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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