Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-21

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 given tables illustrate how the population of New York City and its areas changed from 1800 to 2000. The areas of New York City included in the table are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.

Overall, the population of New York increased significantly between the years 1800 to 2000. Moreover, the population of Manhattan decreased massively. Conversely, a large number of areas saw a huge increase in people who lived there.

The number of residents in New York City in 1800 was 79,216. However, this number increased to 3,437,202 in 1900. Finally, in 2000 New York City had 8,009,185 citizens, which makes it the year, with the highest population as compared to all the previous years.

76% of people used to live in Manhattan in 1800, whereas just 24% lived in the other areas of New York. Nevertheless, the number of citizens moving to the other parts increased in 1900. The number of people living in Manhattan increased to 1,850,093 from 60,515 in 1900. Nonetheless, its contribution to the total population reduced to 54%. On the other hand, the percentage of population living in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island rose to 46% from 24% in 1800. At last, citizens living in Manhattan reached the lowest percentage of 19% in 2000. At the same time, the other areas reached their peak population of 6,471,089, contributing 81% to the total population of New York City.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task and provides a clear overview of the population trends. You successfully identified the main features, such as the overall growth of New York City and the shifting population distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. The data is accurately reported, and comparisons are made between the years and the specific areas. To reach a higher band, ensure that the distinction between the total population and the percentage distribution is always crystal clear, as some sentences, such as 'the number of citizens moving to the other parts increased in 1900', could be more precisely linked to the provided data tables.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Conversely', 'Nevertheless', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the general city-wide trends to the specific district-level shifts. The referencing is generally clear, though some transitions between the raw numbers and the percentages could be smoother to improve the flow of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, using terms like 'increased significantly', 'decreased massively', and 'reached their peak'. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it is somewhat repetitive. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' (e.g., 'surged', 'plummeted', 'fluctuated') and use more precise academic collocations. The current range is adequate for the task, but lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for the higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, which ensures that communication is never impeded. There are some minor issues with phrasing, such as 'which makes it the year, with the highest population', where the comma usage is unnecessary. Additionally, some structures are slightly repetitive. To achieve a higher score, aim to integrate more complex grammatical structures, such as relative clauses or participle phrases, and ensure that punctuation is used with greater precision.

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

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