Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-14

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 table charts illustrate the population of New York city (all five districts) between 1800 to 2000. They also compare the population of Manhattan and the other four cities ( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten island ), together with their proportion of the total population.

Overall, the total population of New York city increased dramatically over the two centuries period. Although Manhattan remained the most populated district in 1800 and 1900, its share of the cities population of the other four districts grew substantially.

In 1800, New York city had a population of only 79,216 masses. Of these, 60,515 lived in Manhattan, accounting for 76% of the total, whereas the other districts had just 18,701 residents (24%). By 1900, the urban side population had risen sharply to 3,437,202. Manhattan's population increased to 1,850,093, representing 54% of the total, while the remaining districts reached 1,587,109 citizens, or 46%.

By 2000, New York city population had more than double compared with 1900, reaching 8,009,185. While, Manhattan number of people fell slightly to 1,538,096, reducing its share to only 19%. In contrast, the combined population of Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten island climbed significantly to 6,471,089, accounting for the remaining 81% of the total number of citizens.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the population changes in New York City. You effectively compared the total population growth with the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other four districts. The data is accurately reported, and you have highlighted the key turning points, such as the shift in the majority population share from Manhattan to the other districts by 1900 and 2000. To reach a higher band, ensure that you consistently use precise terminology; for example, referring to population figures as 'masses' is inappropriate in this context. Overall, the response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group the data chronologically. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast,' 'While,' and 'Of these' effectively to link information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different time periods. The referencing is generally clear, though there is a minor error in the phrase 'the urban side population,' which is slightly ambiguous. Overall, the flow of information is easy to follow and demonstrates a good command of organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly, using terms like 'dramatically,' 'substantially,' and 'representing.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice. For instance, '79,216 masses' is not a standard way to describe a population count, and 'urban side population' is an awkward collocation. Additionally, ensure consistent capitalization for proper nouns like 'Staten Island.' While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching the highest band. Focusing on more precise academic collocations will help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Although Manhattan remained... its share... grew substantially.' There are some grammatical slips, such as 'two centuries period' (should be 'two-century period') and 'Manhattan number of people' (should be 'Manhattan's number of people'). You also have a minor punctuation error in 'Staten island )' where the space before the closing parenthesis is unnecessary. Despite these occasional errors, the majority of your sentences are clear and error-free, and the meaning is never obscured. Your control over complex structures is generally good.

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

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