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 tables compare the changes in the total population of New York City and the total as well as, share of their population between Manhattan and other four districts of this city (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) in 1800, 1900 and 2000.
Overall, New York City's total population has dramatically increased in 200 years. Although Manhattan's population climbed up in this period, its percentage of total population has decreased. Meanwhile, the other four districts total population and share of overall population has moved up in this time.
In 1800, New York City's population was 79,216, whereas 60,515 (76%) were from Manhattan and 18,701 (24%) were from other districts. Manhattan was the most populous district in that time. By 1900, this city's population significantly increased to 3,437,202 and Manhattan's population has climbed to 1,850,093 but its share of total people dramatically moved down to 54%. Conversely, the other four districts population has gradually moved to 46% of total population and reached 1,587,109 residents.
New York City's total inhabitants more than doubled in 2000. The other districts' share of total population surged to just above four-fifth proportion which is 6,471,089 residents respectively, in contrast, Manhattan's population climbed down to 1,538,096 residents which is one-fifth of the proportion over in this time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response covers all parts of the task, providing a clear overview and selecting key data points to illustrate the trends. You successfully identified the main feature: the shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts over the 200-year period. The data is accurately reported, and comparisons are made effectively between the two categories. To reach a higher band, ensure that the distinction between the 'total population' and the 'share of population' is consistently clear, as some phrasing regarding the 'four-fifth proportion' could be more precise in its reference to the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving chronologically from 1800 to 2000. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'conversely', and 'in contrast' are used effectively to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For instance, the phrase 'which is 6,471,089 residents respectively' is slightly awkward in its placement. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to a coherent response.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'dramatically increased', 'surged', and 'most populous' are used appropriately. However, there are some instances of imprecise word choice or slightly unnatural collocations, such as 'climbed down' (which is not standard English) and 'moved up/down' to describe statistical trends. Using more academic alternatives like 'declined' or 'experienced a downward trend' would enhance the sophistication of your writing and help you achieve a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are accurate, there are recurring grammatical slips. For example, 'the other four districts total population' lacks a possessive apostrophe, and 'Manhattan's population has climbed' uses the present perfect where the past simple is required for historical data. Additionally, 'climbed down' is grammatically incorrect in this context. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the punctuation is generally handled well. Focusing on tense consistency and possessive forms will improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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