Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 compare the total population of New York over a period of three centuries from 1800 to 2000. These tables also depict the alterations in the population of five districts namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island in the same given centuries.

Overall, the largest New York's populated was witnessed in 2000. Moreover, the population of Manhattan underwent the maximum changes in 1800, whereas population of other districts experienced the highest variation in 2000.

To commence with, it is evident that the population of New York city increased as the years went by. The highest number of population was accounted in the year 2000 that was around 8 million, followed by the year 1900, in which New York's population was almost 5 million lower that was 3,437,202. Furthermore, in 1800, population of New York was under 80 thousand, which was the lowest figure.

Moving further, in Manhattan, the total number of citizens were about 60 thousand in 1800 which was the 76% of the total city population. The figure increased to the highest number of 1,850,093 in the next given year, while the proportion of total population decreased to 54%. Paradoxically, in other districts, the highest number of population was experienced in 2000 that was nearly 6 million and 81% of the total population. The least number of population was in 1800 in other districts which shared 24% of the total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the total population trends and the district-specific data. You successfully identified the main features, such as the overall growth and the shift in population distribution. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by some inaccurate interpretations of the data. For instance, stating that Manhattan underwent the 'maximum changes in 1800' is unclear, as the table shows the population grew significantly after 1800. Additionally, the grouping of 'other districts' is a useful summary technique, but ensure that the comparisons made are mathematically precise based on the provided figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'Moving further' helps guide the reader through the information. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the final paragraph—specifically the phrase 'in the next given year'—is ambiguous, as it is unclear if you are referring to 1900 or 2000. Improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'depict', 'alterations', and 'proportion'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices that hinder precision, such as 'the largest New York's populated was witnessed' (should be 'the largest population was recorded') and 'the next given year' (which is factually confusing). While you attempt to use more sophisticated language, these inaccuracies prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on using vocabulary that is both natural and contextually accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the highest number of population was accounted' (should be 'the highest population was recorded') and 'lower that was 3,437,202' (which is a run-on/awkward construction). There are also issues with article usage and pluralization, such as 'the population of New York city' (should be 'New York City'). These errors occur frequently enough to be noticeable but do not significantly impede communication.

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

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