Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-12

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 depicts the overall population of New York City's five districts between 1800 and 2000 while the next two tables show the same changes separately.

Overall, the key feature is that the number of people surged in New York. Moreover, even though the number of residents in Manhattan saw fluctuation over the 200 years, the percentage of total population dropped steadily for this area while the other four witnessed growth in both population and percentage.

In the five districts of New York, the population increased significantly from 79,216 in 1800 to 8,009,185 in 2000. Manhattan had the highest figure (76%) of a 60,515 people in 1800 while the other four boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) were roughly 18,701, as 24%. Additionally, in 1900 Manhattan's figure was more than a half 54% with 1,850,093 and the others were approximately 46% with a 1,587,109.

Conversely, the dominance of numbers reversed in the final year 2000 when Manhattan's population decreased to 1,538,096, representing 19%; while the other four districts were noted up to 6,471,089, representing 81% which was the highest recorded figure in the whole chart.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully identifies the main trends, such as the overall population surge and the shift in dominance from Manhattan to the other four boroughs. You have selected key data points to support these observations, which is essential for Task 1. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by minor inaccuracies in data presentation, such as the phrasing '60,515 people in 1800 while the other four boroughs... were roughly 18,701'. Clarifying that these figures represent the population count rather than percentages would improve the clarity. Overall, you have covered all parts of the task well and provided a clear overview.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information effectively. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'Additionally', and 'while' helps to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general trends from the specific data analysis. To reach a higher band, ensure that the transition between sentences is smoother, as some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to the way data is integrated. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, including terms like 'surged', 'fluctuation', 'dominance', and 'representing'. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'noted up to' and 'figure of a 60,515 people', which sound slightly unnatural. However, these errors do not impede communication. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations when describing statistical changes. The vocabulary is adequate for the task and demonstrates a reasonable level of flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some grammatical errors, such as 'more than a half 54%' and 'were roughly 18,701, as 24%', these do not cause confusion for the reader. The control of punctuation is generally good, and the sentence structure is varied enough to maintain interest. To achieve a higher score, ensure that articles and prepositions are used more accurately, and try to incorporate more sophisticated complex structures to demonstrate greater control over grammar.

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

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