Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29

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 illustrates how the population of whole and 5 districts of new york change from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the total population of New York City increased significantly during the two centuries. Most of this growth happened between 1800 and 1900, and after that, the population remained relatively stable. Among the five districts, Brooklyn and Manhattan had the highest populations in the early period, while Queens and the Bronx showed big increases later on.

In 1800, the total population of the city was quite low, with Manhattan being the most populated area. Brooklyn was also growing fast, and by 1900, it had more people than Manhattan. The Bronx and Queens had very small populations in the 1800s, but their numbers increased a lot by 1900.

On the other hand, between 1900 and 2000, the population in Manhattan and Brooklyn slightly decreased, while Queens and Staten Island continued to grow. Staten Island always had the smallest number of people, but it showed a steady rise over the years. In short, New York City saw huge population growth between 1800 and 1900, especially in Brooklyn and Manhattan at first, and then in Queens and the Bronx. The population became more spread out among all five boroughs by the year 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the overall population and the districts from 1800 to 2000. An overview is successfully presented at the beginning of the second paragraph, capturing the main trend of significant growth up to 1900 and subsequent stability or shifting proportions. However, there are some minor inaccuracies or generalizations when compared to the source data; for example, the student claims that Brooklyn had more people than Manhattan by 1900, whereas the tables show Manhattan at 1,850,093 and other districts combined at 1,587,109 (implying Brooklyn individually was likely lower or comparable, but not definitively higher based on the provided table data). Furthermore, Staten Island is stated to have always had the smallest number of people, which is supported, but overall, more precise integration of the specific percentage shift (Manhattan dropping from 76% to 19%) would have strengthened the response. Overall, the task is well-addressed, fitting a solid Band 6.5 to 7.0 profile.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged logically with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1800', 'On the other hand', and 'In short' are used to guide the reader through the data points. Paragraphing is logical, separating the general overview and early period from the later century. However, referencing and progression occasionally feel slightly mechanical, and some sentences within paragraphs are loosely linked rather than flowing seamlessly from one point to the next. For instance, the transition between Manhattan's population and Brooklyn's growth could be smoother. Nevertheless, the overall arrangement is coherent and easy to follow, aligning well with the Band 6.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using appropriate terms like 'population', 'districts', 'significant', and 'proportion'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary such as 'relatively stable', 'spread out', and 'boroughs'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive ('population' and 'increased' are used frequently), and there are minor word choice and collocation limitations. For example, opening the essay with 'how the population of whole and 5 districts of new york change' contains phrasing that is slightly unnatural and informal. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and communication is never impeded. This fits the Band 6.0 criteria well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'the total population of New York City increased significantly during the two centuries' and 'While Queens and Staten Island continued to grow.' Complex structures are generally controlled, though some minor errors and awkward phrasings occur, such as the opening sentence missing capitalization ('new york') and lacking a preposition ('population of the whole and 5 districts'). Punctuation is generally sound, and despite occasional grammatical slips, sentences do not impede communication. The control over grammar is typical of a Band 6.5 performance.

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

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