Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-02

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 table chart illustrates information regarding changes in population of New York in whole years and in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and remaining three districts between 1800 to 2000.

Overall, it is noticeable that population of New York increased drastically over the 200 year period. Although, share of Manhattan decreased considerably over the time, while the other four districts follow substantial growth.

In 1800, New York City had a total population of 70,216 of whom 60,515 (76%) lived in Manhattan. By 1900, city's population has risen sharply to 3,437,202 with Manhattan containing 1,850,093 people equivalent to 54 percent of the total. However, by 2000, the overall population has more than doubled again, reaching 8,009,185, while Manhattan's population fell to 1,538,096 represented only 19%.

In contrast, the remained districts increased enormously. In 1800, these four districts had just 18,701 residents of 24 percent of the city's population. Their population rose to 1,587,109 (46%) in 1900 and then increased dramatically to 6,471,089 by 2000. Consequently, their share of the city's total population reached 81 percent.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response effectively identifies the main trends and provides a clear overview of the population shifts in New York City. You have successfully highlighted the contrast between the decline in Manhattan's share and the significant growth in the other districts. Key data points are accurately selected to support these observations, such as the 1800 and 2000 figures. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are integrated more smoothly into the narrative; for instance, the transition between the total population and the specific district breakdowns is clear, but could be further enhanced by explicitly mentioning the specific years for all comparisons to avoid ambiguity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs that group information effectively. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Consequently', and 'Although' helps to guide the reader through the comparisons. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the total population trends from the specific district analysis. The progression of ideas is smooth, and referencing is generally clear. To improve, ensure that the connection between sentences is always precise; for example, 'the remained districts' is slightly awkward and could be improved with better cohesive phrasing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task, using terms like 'drastically', 'sharply', and 'enormously' to describe trends. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'the remained districts' (should be 'the remaining districts') and 'represented only 19%' (should be 'representing only 19%'). These errors do not impede communication but prevent the response from reaching the highest band. Expanding your repertoire of collocations related to data description would further strengthen your lexical profile.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of 'of whom' and 'while' clauses. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'city's population has risen' (should be 'had risen' to maintain past tense consistency) and 'represented only 19%' (a participle phrase error). Additionally, 'between 1800 to 2000' should be 'between 1800 and 2000'. While these errors are present, they are not frequent enough to impede communication, and the majority of your sentences are clear and well-structured.

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

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