Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-16

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 illustrate the change in population of five districts of the New York City and total population change in New York City between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, total population of the city increased significantly over the 200 year period. Other districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) had seen the highest proportion of population in the last 100 years whereas the Manhantan had the least population in the final century.

In the Initial year, total population of the city was 79,216. It skyrocketed to 3,437,202 in 1900 and then finally settled at 8,009,185 in 2000. The most populated district in 1800 was Manhatan where 76% of total residents stayed . The population increased from 60,515 in 1800 to 1,850,093 in 1900. In the subsequent years, the population dropped and reached to 1,538,096 in 2000 comprising 19% of city population.

Regarding to the combined population and proportion coverage of the total city's population of other districts, the population jumped from 18,701 to 6,471,089 between 1800 and 1900. Initially, 24% of citizens resided in these districts, this value increased to 46% in 1900 and peaked at 81% in the final year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main changes and provide a clear overview: the city’s population rose substantially, while the other districts’ share grew and Manhattan’s share fell. The figures for the total population and Manhattan are accurately reported, and the comparison between Manhattan’s 76% share in 1800 and 19% in 2000 is relevant. However, some details are less fully or clearly presented. In particular, you say the other districts’ population rose from 18,701 to 6,471,089 “between 1800 and 1900,” although 6,471,089 is the 2000 figure; the 1900 figure is 1,587,109. This mislabels an important comparison. To strengthen the response, report the other-district population at all three dates accurately and make the overview’s time reference more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the total population, Manhattan, and the other districts. Time markers such as “In the Initial year,” “In the subsequent years,” and “In the final year” help readers follow the chronology. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. The phrase “Regarding to the combined population and proportion coverage” makes the final paragraph difficult to process, and “this value” could refer to either population or percentage. The incorrect 1800–1900 date range for the other districts also disrupts the progression of the data. Use simpler transitions and identify each measure explicitly—for example, distinguish the population count from its percentage of the city total.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “increased significantly,” “skyrocketed,” “dropped,” and “peaked.” These choices communicate the broad movements, though some are too informal or imprecise for an academic report: “skyrocketed” is emphatic, while “settled at” suggests a stable endpoint rather than simply giving the 2000 figure. There are also inaccurate collocations and word forms, such as “proportion coverage” and “population of the New York City.” Spelling errors in “Manhantan” and “Manhatan” reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, neutral terms such as “rose,” “declined,” “accounted for,” and “population share,” and check the spelling of place names.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, and most of the information remains understandable. Some grammatical errors persist, particularly with articles, prepositions, and verb forms. For example, “the New York City” needs no article, “Regarding to” is not a correct construction, and “had seen the highest proportion” uses an unsuitable tense for describing table data. In “the population dropped and reached to 1,538,096,” the verb pattern is incorrect; write “fell to 1,538,096.” There are also punctuation and spacing slips, such as the space before the full stop after “stayed.” Review these patterns and use consistent past-tense descriptions; greater accuracy across these sentence forms would make the report smoother.

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