Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-03

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 first table illustrates how the total population grew in New York city between 1800 and 2000, while the second and third tables describe the percentage and the change in total population in Manhattan and other districts ( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten island) respectively.

Overall, it evident that the total population maintained an upward trend throughout the given timeframe. While the number of people in Manhattan declined toward the end of the period, other districts experienced a substantial growth in the percentage and total population.

Regarding the overall population change in New York city, 79,216 number of people were reported in 1800, and its increased substantially to 3,437,202 number of people in 19000 and further rose significantly to 8,009,1885 number of people in the year 2000.

Turning to the population and percentage rate of the total population in Manhattan and other districts, in 1800 Manhattan represented 76% of the total population thereby accounting for a total number 60,515 people but other districts recorded 24% with total population of 18,701. Similarly, Manhattan population further increased to 1,850,093 number of people with an overall percentage rate of 54% in 1900. However, in 1900 other districts had a surged in the number of population at 1,587,109 taking 46% of the whole population. Conversely, in 2000 Manhattan population declined relatively to 1,538,096 at a proportion of 19% whereas other districts experienced a substantial increase of 6,471,089 people dominating the largest percentage share at 81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task and provides a clear overview of the trends. You successfully identified the main features, such as the overall growth in population and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data transcription. For example, you wrote '19000' instead of 1900 and '8,009,1885' instead of 8,009,185. These errors in reporting the figures from the table detract from the accuracy of the summary. To improve, ensure you double-check the numbers against the source material to maintain precision.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'Regarding', 'Turning to', and 'Conversely' to link your points. However, the use of referencing is occasionally slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the information is presented in a way that is easy to follow. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that the transition between sentences feels more natural and less formulaic.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'upward trend', 'substantial growth', and 'proportion'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'had a surged in the number of population' (should be 'had a surge in the population') and 'declined relatively to' (should be 'declined to'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms. Expanding your vocabulary to include more varied ways of describing statistical changes would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as '79,216 number of people were reported' (should be 'a population of 79,216 was reported') and 'its increased' (should be 'it increased'). Additionally, there are punctuation and formatting errors, such as the inconsistent use of commas in large numbers. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions when discussing statistical data.

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

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