Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-28
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 tables demonstrate the population statistics in five different districts of New York city over the span of 200 years, starting from 1800 till 2000.
Comparing the numbers from 1800 and 1900, the population drastically increased by approximately 400% in 1900, followed by an increase of around 150% in 2000. The table specifically demonstrates the population parameters in five districts of New York, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. In Manhattan, the population statistics shows a decline as centuries passed, with a reported increase of 76% in 1800, followed by the decrease in population gain during 1900 and 2000.
However, population in other districts including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island showed a streamline increase over the years. In 1800, the population of these districts increased by 24% of the total population, followed by an increase of 46% in 1900 and a reported 81% increase as we move towards 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a general overview but fails to accurately report the data. The interpretation of the tables is flawed; for instance, the claim that Manhattan's population showed a 'decline as centuries passed' is incorrect, as the data shows growth from 60,515 to 1,537,195. Furthermore, the use of percentages to describe population growth is confusing and does not clearly reflect the actual figures provided in the tables. The response lacks a clear summary of the main trends and fails to make meaningful comparisons between the districts. To improve, focus on accurately transcribing and comparing the provided figures rather than calculating percentages that do not align with the source material.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organised into three short paragraphs, which is a logical structure for a report. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the inaccurate data interpretation. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However' and 'followed by', but they are sometimes used in a mechanical or repetitive way. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the 'streamline increase' of the other districts. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that transitions between sentences are used to highlight the relationships between the data points more effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'population statistics' and 'population parameters' are used, but the word choice is sometimes imprecise, such as 'streamline increase' (which is not a standard collocation in this context). There is some repetition of basic terms like 'population' and 'increase'. To improve, incorporate more varied and precise vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'surged', 'remained stable', or 'accounted for a significant proportion'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the introductory complex sentence and the use of participial phrases like 'starting from 1800'. While there are some grammatical errors, such as 'population statistics shows' (subject-verb agreement) and 'New York city' (capitalisation), these do not generally impede communication. The control of punctuation is generally acceptable. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the use of articles and prepositions to achieve greater accuracy in more complex sentence constructions.
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