Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-11

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 provides data on the changes of overall population living in New York City between 1800 to 2000, while the second and third tables illustrate the changes in proportion of the total population in five districts in the same periods.

Overall, it is clear that population had significantly increased over the time period in all five districts. Manhattan had the highest proportion of total population in the beginning, whereas the percentage of other cities grew dramatically in the last period.

In detail, in 1800, New York City had the overall 79,216 individuals, which substantially grew to reach 8,009,185 in 2000. Manhattan accounted for the highest rate of overall population at 76%, consisted of 60,515 people in the year 1800. However, in 1900, population surged to 1,850,093 with the percentage of 54%, before showing the lowest rate of 19% by 2000.

Regarding other districts, total humanbeings as percentage grew considerably from 18,701 people with the percentage of only 24% to 6,471,089 people of about 81%, making it the largest ratio of population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall rise in New York City’s population and the changing balance between Manhattan and the other districts. The figures you give for 1800 and 2000, and Manhattan’s percentages, match the tables. Your overview also notes Manhattan’s initial dominance and the later growth of the other districts. However, the account is incomplete: it omits the city’s 1900 total and the other districts’ 1900 figures, and it does not explain that Manhattan’s population itself rose to a peak in 1900 before falling by 2000. The claim that population increased in all five districts is not demonstrated by the tables, which combine four districts. Include the key middle-period comparison and distinguish population totals from shares to make the summary more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for detailed information. Linking phrases such as “Overall,” “In detail,” and “Regarding other districts” help signal the stages of the report, and the reader can follow the broad comparison. Some progression is less effective because the final paragraph jumps from the 1800 figure directly to 2000, leaving the 1900 stage unexplained. In addition, “the second and third tables” is an awkward reference when the task presents the district information together, and “other cities” is unclear in this context. Develop the comparison in chronological order and use precise references to Manhattan and the combined other districts; this would make cohesion more flexible and less dependent on formulaic transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of reporting language, including “significantly increased,” “accounted for,” “surged,” and “grew considerably,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise for a formal data summary. “Changes of overall population” would be more idiomatically expressed as changes in the population, while “overall rate” and “highest rate” confuse a population share with a rate. “Other cities” is inaccurate because these are districts, and “total humanbeings” is an unsuitable, informal label for population. The phrase “making it the largest ratio” also does not clearly identify what became largest. Aim for consistent terms such as “population,” “proportion,” and “share,” and use collocations that describe the figures precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You show a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a contrast clause with “whereas” and a time sequence using “before.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and punctuation is generally controlled. Some grammatical errors remain. In the opening, “between 1800 to 2000” combines two different preposition patterns; use “between 1800 and 2000” or “from 1800 to 2000.” In “Manhattan accounted for … at 76%, consisted of 60,515 people,” the second clause lacks a clear grammatical connection; for example, say that it “had a population of 60,515.” The sentence about the other districts also needs a clearer structure to connect the population figures and percentages. More consistently accurate complex sentences would strengthen control.

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