Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-24

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)

Writing Task-1.

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.

The given tables show the changes in the total population of New york city and the population of its five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the total population of New york city increased significantly during the two centuries, Most of this growth happened between 1800 and 1900, and after that, the population remained relatively stable. Among the five districts, Brooklyn and Manhattan had the highest population in the early period, while Queens and the Bronx showed big increases later on.

In 1800, the total population of the city was quite low, with manhattan being the most population area. Brooklyn was also growing fast, and by 1900, it had more people them Manhattan. The Bronx and queens had very small population in the 1800s, but their numbers increased a lot by 1900.

On the other hard, beetween 1900 and 2000 the population in Manhattan and Brooklyn slightly decreased, while Queens and Staten Island continued to grow. Staten Island always had the smallest number of people, but it showed a steady rise over the years. In short, New York city saw huge population growth between 1800 and 1900, especially in Brooklyn and Manhattan at first, and then in Queens and the Bronx. The population became more spread out among all five boroughs by the year 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

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 significant growth between 1800 and 1900 and the subsequent stabilization. You also made relevant comparisons between the boroughs, noting the shift in population density from Manhattan and Brooklyn to the Bronx and Queens. However, the analysis could be strengthened by including more specific data points from the tables to support your observations, rather than relying on general descriptions like 'quite low' or 'increased a lot'. Including specific figures would elevate the response to a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1800', 'On the other hand', and 'In short' helps guide the reader through the information. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods and trends. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significantly', 'relatively stable', and 'population density'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as 'most population area' (should be 'most populated area') and 'them' instead of 'than'. Additionally, some phrasing is repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure correct collocations. The current range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

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, including capitalization issues ('New york city', 'manhattan', 'queens'), punctuation errors, and minor slips like 'On the other hard' (typo for 'hand') and 'beetween'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and proofreading for basic mechanical errors would significantly improve your score in this criterion.

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