Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-12

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 6.0)

The first table provides information about the total number of people in New York city and others two tables show the population changes in percentage for five different cities between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, total number of people living in New York city rose significantly over the period. In Contrast, Manhattan experienced a gradual increase in the number. Other cities such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island also seen dramatic change.

In 1800, 79,216 people used to live in New York and in 1900, it increased sharply at 3,437,202. In 2000, it climbed to 8,009,185.

Manhattan made up to 76% of total population used to live in there in the year 1800. The total number of population was 60,515 and other districts accounted for only 24%, at 18,701 people. In 1900, population in other areas grew gradually at 1,587,109 which was 46% of total population and 54% for Manhattan. In 2000, Manhattan saw slight decrease in the figure. The number of total population was 1,538,096 and its contributed to 19% of total population whereas other cities population increased dramatically at 6,471,089 and it's 81% of total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You report the main overall rise in New York City’s population and make relevant comparisons between Manhattan and the other districts, including their changing shares of the total. Most figures are accurate, such as the city totals and the 2000 figures for both groups. However, the overview misstates Manhattan’s trend: it says Manhattan experienced a “gradual increase,” although its population rose to 1,850,093 by 1900 and then fell to 1,538,096 by 2000. The overview also describes the other districts as “cities,” which is imprecise. To strengthen the response, make the overview capture the contrasting trends clearly and report the 1800–1900 changes more precisely; some comparisons are currently less fully developed than the later figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear four-paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs presenting figures. The information generally moves from the citywide totals to the district comparison, and time markers such as “In 1800,” “In 1900,” and “In 2000” help readers follow the data. Cohesion is sometimes mechanical, however, because the same year-led pattern is repeated, and some references are unclear—for example, “the total number of population” does not clearly identify whether it means Manhattan or the whole city. The overview’s contrast is also weakened by the inaccurate description of Manhattan’s trend. Use more varied comparisons and clearer references to the two groups to make progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary for describing data, including “rose significantly,” “increased sharply,” “accounted for,” and “contributed to.” These choices communicate the main changes, but some collocations and word choices are imprecise: “population changes in percentage” should refer to population figures and shares, while “other cities” is not an accurate label for the other districts. “Gradual increase” also does not describe Manhattan’s full trend. Repetition of “population,” “increased,” and “total” limits flexibility. Aim for precise terms such as “population share,” “districts,” “declined,” and “rose,” selecting verbs that match the direction and scale of each change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the main figures and comparisons are usually understandable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with articles, agreement, and sentence construction. For example, “the total number of people” needs an article in “the total number,” while “other districts … also seen” lacks the auxiliary “have.” In “Manhattan made up to 76% … used to live in there,” the clause structure is faulty, and “its contributed” should use a possessive form. There are also inconsistent tense choices, such as “used to live” alongside past reporting. Use straightforward past-tense sentences for the historical data, and check agreement and clause boundaries when combining comparisons.

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