Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-22

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 provide information about the total population change of New York city and also the changes in population which happened in the five districts of New York city.

Overall, the population of New York increased dramatically over the period of time, while Manhattan's share of the city's total population declined considerably. In contrast, the combined share of the other four boroughs increased substantially.

The population of New York City stood at 79,216 in 1800 and increased to 3,437,202 by 1900. In 2000, this figure risen further at 8,009,185 people.

Although overall population of New York had a major increase, Manhattan's share of New York City's population fell dramatically, from 76% in 1800 to 54% in 1900. The figure continuosly dropped to 19% in 2000. Conversely, the combined share of the other four boroughs increased from 24% in 1800 to 46% in 1900. The percentage became almost double in 2000 to 81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully identifies the main trends and provides a clear overview of the population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other boroughs. You have selected key data points to support your observations. However, the task requires a summary of the five districts, and while you mention the 'other four boroughs' as a group, you do not provide any specific data or comparisons for the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island), which were provided in the second and third tables. To reach a higher band, you should briefly highlight the most significant changes among these specific districts rather than grouping them entirely.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological and thematic progression. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Although', and 'Conversely' are used effectively to signal shifts in the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general population trends from the proportional shifts. The flow of information is easy to follow, and the relationship between the ideas is clear throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'declined considerably', 'increased substantially', and 'combined share' are used accurately. There is some minor repetition of 'population' and 'New York City', but this is expected given the topic. The word choice is generally precise, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. To improve, you could incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to add stylistic flair.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are a few grammatical errors that detract from the accuracy. For example, 'this figure risen further at' should be 'this figure rose further to', and 'The percentage became almost double' is slightly unnatural; 'The percentage almost doubled' would be better. Additionally, there is a spelling error in 'continuosly'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading of verb tenses and word forms.

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

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