Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-19

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 tables demonstrate the population of New York City and its five other districts from 1800 to 2000. The first table illustrates the total number of residents in New York City, while the other two tables provide details about the five districts. Overall, the total number of people living in New York City has generally increased over the two centuries. The population percentage of Manhattan, on the other hand, declined between this period, while the population percentage of other districts went up during the same time lapse.

In 1800, New York City consisted of roughly 80 thousand residents, and increased by roughly 2.6 million people till 1900. Later, this figure continued to surge for the next 100 years, crossing the 8 million boundary in 2000. Along with this, the population of individual districts showed distinct trends in the population. The second table shows the percentage population of Manhattan, while the third table illustrates combined population of the other four districts: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island. It can be observed that a large group of people prioritized to settle in other regions of the city as the percentage of the total population living in Manhattan fell by 57%, standing at 76% in 1800 and then decreasing to 54% by 1900, finally settling at 19% in the year 2000. As a result, the combined population percentage of the remaining four districts increased significantly by 57%. In 1800, the percentage was 24%, which further inclined to reach 46% by 1900, and finally became 81% by 2000. Although the population of all Manhattan increased from 60,515 residents, in 1800, to over 1.5 million in 2000, the total population of the four districts surpassed it by hiking from 18,701 people, in 1800, to an astounding figure of about 6.5 million by 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered the total population growth and the significant shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other four districts. The inclusion of specific data points, such as the 19% and 81% figures for the year 2000, effectively supports your analysis. However, the description of the percentage decline in Manhattan is slightly inaccurate; you stated it fell by 57%, but the difference between 76% and 19% is 57 percentage points, not a 57% decrease. Precision in mathematical reporting is crucial for Task 1. Overall, the response is well-structured and addresses all requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary of the trends. You use cohesive devices such as 'on the other hand,' 'as a result,' and 'although' to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the total population overview from the district-specific analysis. The progression of information is smooth, moving from the general city-wide data to the specific district comparisons. The referencing is generally clear, though some transitions could be slightly more sophisticated to improve the flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'surge,' 'prioritized,' 'astounding,' and 'inclined' to describe the data. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'time lapse' (which usually refers to photography) and 'inclined' (which is better suited for a person's preference rather than a statistical increase). Despite these minor inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information clearly and with some precision. You avoid repetitive language and show an ability to use academic-style reporting verbs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'declined between this period' (should be 'during') and 'population of all Manhattan' (should be 'population of Manhattan'). Additionally, the phrase 'hiking from 18,701 people' is slightly informal for an academic report. However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and you demonstrate good control over punctuation and sentence construction, which supports a solid band 7 performance.

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