Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-18
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 shows the overall changes in the total population of New York City across all five districts, between 1800 and 2000. The second and third tables show changes in the population of Manhattan, and other four districts, both in numbers and percentages, over the same period.
Overall, the New York City population increased dramatically from 1800 to 2000. Manhattan's share of the total population decreased significantly, whereas in all other districts, this proportion increased to almost double.
Across all five districts, New York city population was over 79,000, followed by substantial increase to more than 3.4 million in 1900. This figure became more than doubled in 2000 to over 8 million.
Manhattan experience a significant decline with population falling from 76% in 1800 to 19% in 2000. However, other districts such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island constituted 24% of the total population in 1800, and this figure surged to 46% in 1900 and 81% in 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features, trends, and proportions from the provided tables. An appropriate overview is included, highlighting the dramatic overall population growth and the shifting distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts. Key data points, such as the total population figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000, as well as the percentage shifts (e.g., Manhattan dropping from 76% to 19%), are accurately cited and compared. The response is fully grounded in the visual data without introducing irrelevant information, meeting the criteria for a strong Band 7.5 or 8.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with a suitable introductory paragraph paraphrasing the prompt, followed by a concise overview paragraph, and subsequent body paragraphs that break down the general population totals and the district-specific percentages. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to link ideas, such as 'Overall,' 'whereas,' and 'However.' Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different facets of the data, ensuring the logical structure is maintained throughout, satisfying Band 7 requirements.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, employing words and phrases such as 'substantially,' 'surged,' 'proportion,' and 'constituted.' There are minor lexical inaccuracies, such as 'Manhattan experience a significant decline' (where 'experienced' was intended) and minor phrasing awkwardness like 'New York city population was over 79,000'. However, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the trends and comparisons clearly, placing it solidly within the Band 6.5 to 7 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including comparative clauses and transition-led sentences ('whereas in all other districts, this proportion increased...'). Grammatical control is generally good, though there are occasional errors, notably the tense slip 'Manhattan experience' instead of 'experienced', and a missing article in 'New York city population'. Nevertheless, the majority of sentences are error-free, and these minor slips do not impede communication, supporting a Band 7.0 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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