Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-07
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 three tables show changes in the total population of five different New York city districts, namely; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island, in the year 1800, 1900 and 2000. From an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the total population of all the districts have drastically increased over these two centuries.
In 1800, Manhattan alone consisted around 76% of the total population at 60,515 while all the other four accomodated the rest 24% of 18,710 at that time. Thus, New York consisted a total of 79,216 people. In the next 100 years, the total population of the city had rised tremendously to around nearly 3.4 million. Nearly half of this (54%) lived in Manhattan alone while the other half resided in the other four regions.
In 2000, this scenario altered drastically as compared to it was 200 years before. To elaborate, the total population of New York was almost 8 Million and while only 19% (1,538,096) of that lived in Manhattan, the other 81% (6,471,089) riseded in the other four towns ,i.e., Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island).
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response successfully identifies the main trends and provides a clear overview. You have selected key data points to support your description, such as the shift in population distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the report is slightly incomplete as it fails to mention the specific population figures for the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) in 2000, instead grouping them together. To reach a higher band, ensure that you provide a more detailed breakdown of the data provided in the tables rather than just the aggregate figures, as this would better demonstrate a comprehensive coverage of the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction and chronological progression through the three time periods. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different stages of the data. Cohesive devices such as 'In the next 100 years' and 'In 2000' help guide the reader through the timeline. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For instance, the phrase 'as compared to it was 200 years before' is clunky and affects the flow. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the data, such as 'drastically increased', 'tremendously', and 'scenario altered'. However, there are some noticeable errors in word choice and form, such as 'rised' (should be 'rose') and 'riseded' (should be 'resided'). These errors do not impede communication but indicate a need for more careful proofreading. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure that verb forms are used correctly in the past tense.
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 that detract from the quality of the writing. Examples include 'consisted around 76%' (should be 'accounted for' or 'comprised'), 'New York consisted a total of' (should be 'had a total of'), and the aforementioned 'rised'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of semicolons and commas in the opening paragraph. Increasing your control over verb tenses and prepositions will help improve your score in this area.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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