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 contributing population percentage 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. Lastly, the 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 effectively addresses the prompt by summarizing the main trends in New York City's population growth and the shifting distribution across its districts. You have successfully identified the overall growth trend and highlighted the significant shift from Manhattan to the other four districts. The data is accurately reported, and the comparison between the start and end points is clear. To reach a higher band, ensure that you provide a more nuanced analysis of the intermediate period (1900) rather than just listing figures, and ensure that the distinction between the total population table and the district tables is consistently maintained to avoid slight confusion in the data presentation.

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 progression of ideas is easy to follow. You make good use of cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Conversely', 'Nevertheless', and 'On the other hand' to signal shifts in the data. While the paragraphing is appropriate, some transitions between sentences could be smoother to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that allows the reader to follow the trends without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'contributing population percentage', 'significant increase', and 'reached their peak' are used appropriately. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'contributing population percentage' which is slightly awkward, and 'the year, with the highest population' where the comma is unnecessary. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing when describing trends. The vocabulary is adequate for the task and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show good control over basic grammar, and most sentences are error-free. There are some minor punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary comma in 'the year, with the highest population'. Additionally, some phrasing is slightly clunky, such as 'the contributing population percentage of Manhattan decreased massively'. While you attempt complex structures, they are generally accurate. To achieve a higher score, aim for a greater variety of complex sentence forms and ensure that punctuation is used consistently to enhance readability.

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

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