Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-03

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 tables depicts the information about the population of cities in new york in three centuries as well as percentage of total population in mahanttan seperately and all other districts seperately over the same time period.

Overall, the total population increased significantly. The percentage population has declined in manhattan. On contrary, the percentage increased gradually in remaining districts.

Initially, in 1800 the overall population of New York City was about 79,216 which rose to 3,437,202 by the next century and ulitmately reached to 8,009,185 by 2000. On the one hand, manhattan total population as percentage was 76% which declined to 54% over next hundred years and it dramatically falled to 19%.

On the other hand, other districts such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and staten Island the percentage has a upward trend. At the beginning it contributed 24% which has a doublefold increase by the next century to 46% and which again witnessed doublefold increase by 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You identify the main overall patterns accurately: New York City’s population rose substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ combined share grew. The figures you give for the city total and the percentages in 1800 and 1900 match the tables, and you include the key 2000 shares. This gives the response a clear overview and relevant comparisons. However, the account of the district populations is incomplete: Manhattan’s actual population rose from 60,515 to 1,850,093 before falling to 1,538,096, while the other districts’ population increased from 18,701 to 6,471,089. Reporting these absolute figures would make the comparison more fully supported. Also, “doublefold” is not an accurate description of the rise from 46% to 81%.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised in a clear sequence: an introduction, an overview, and then details about the city total and the two population groups. The contrast markers “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” help distinguish the trends, and the reader can follow the main comparisons. To make the progression more effective, group related figures more tightly and compare Manhattan with the other districts across each year, rather than presenting the city total separately and then discussing only percentages. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated “which” in the final sentence. More precise referencing and varied transitions would make the relationships between figures smoother and less repetitive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “overall population,” “declined,” “contributed,” and “upward trend,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range and control are limited by several inaccurate or unnatural choices. “The population of cities in New York” is imprecise because the table concerns New York City, while “percentage population” is not a natural way to describe a population share. “Doublefold increase” is also unsuitable for the change from 46% to 81%, and spelling errors such as “mahanttan,” “seperately,” and “ultimately” reduce accuracy. Aim for standard collocations such as “accounted for,” “share of the total,” and “increased to,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, errors in agreement and sentence construction are frequent enough to limit grammatical control. For example, “The tables depicts” should use a plural verb, while “the percentage has a upward trend” has an article and agreement problem. The sentence beginning “On the other hand, other districts…” lacks a clear grammatical structure, and “which again witnessed…” creates an awkward clause connection. There are also tense inconsistencies when describing completed historical data, such as “which has a doublefold increase.” Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build longer comparisons with clear subjects and verbs.

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