Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-27
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 given tables present information on changes in the total inhabitants of New York city and its five districts between 1800 to 2000.
Overall, it it evident that population experienced a significant increase throughout the centuries, while Manhattan recorded the highest proportion of total population, initially. Meanwhile, the residents of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island increased considerably, by 2000.
At the outset, the total figures for New York city stood at 79,216 and 76% population was recorded from Manhattan itself. Meanwhile, other four districts noted the lowest residents reaching 18,701. In 1990, the population of Manhattan fell gradually to 54%, whereas for Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island it increased considerably to 46%.
Turning to the remaining categories, in 2000, Manhattan and the other four districts accounted for 1,538,096 and 6,471,089, respectively. Manhattan nosedived to 19%, while Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island increased significantly, by the end of the period, peaked at 81%, highest among all groups.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by summarising the data for New York City's total population and its district breakdown between 1800 and 2000. An overview is present, noting the overall population growth and the shifting dominance from Manhattan to the other districts. Key features, such as Manhattan's high initial percentage (76%) and its subsequent decline to 19% by 2000, are correctly highlighted alongside the corresponding figures for the other districts. Comparisons are well made using appropriate data points, though there is a minor chronological slip in the text referring to the year '1990' instead of '1900'. Overall, the task is covered thoroughly.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response is logically organised with a clear overall progression from the introduction to the overview, followed by body paragraphs detailing the specific years. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods and categories. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Meanwhile', 'At the outset', and 'Turning to the remaining categories' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional mechanical transitions slightly affect the flow. On balance, the organisational structure meets the requirements for a Band 7.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating less common terms such as 'inhabitants', 'proportion', 'considerably', and 'nosedived'. There are attempts at precise reporting of data, though a few lexical inaccuracies appear, such as writing '76% population was recorded from Manhattan itself' rather than '76% of the population'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary choices do not impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the descriptions of demographic trends easily.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'peaked at 81%, highest among all groups'). There are some grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as the typo 'it it evident' in the second paragraph, missing prepositions, and a typo regarding the year '1990' instead of '1900'. However, the majority of complex sentences are formed with reasonable control, and punctuation is mostly handled well. These errors rarely impede communication, placing the performance securely in the Band 6.5 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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