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 given table illustrates changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. Moreover, the second and third tables show variation in the population of the five districts of the cities. In 1800, the population of New York was approximately 80 thousand, which increased later on, growing up to 8,009,185 by 2000. A dramatic increase can be observed throughout this period.

However, the figures varied differently in other cities. In the district of Manhattan, the percentage fell to its lowest in 2000 of the total population. The proportion decreased constantly from 1800 to 2000, but on the other hand, there was a steady increase in the numbers of the other districts.

Collectively, the 4 cities had 24% of the total population in 1800, which kept rising till 2000. In comparison to Manhattan, these districts faced a great number of climbs during this timeline. This is what differentiated the four districts from Manhattan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a basic overview of the population trends, but it fails to adequately report the data. While the total population growth is mentioned, the specific data for the five districts is largely ignored or misrepresented. For example, the student refers to 'the 4 cities' and 'other cities' rather than identifying the specific districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island). Furthermore, the analysis of the data is superficial; it lacks specific figures for the districts, which are essential for a Task 1 response. The summary is too general and misses key comparative features required to fully address the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which provides a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is present (e.g., 'However', 'In comparison to'), but they are sometimes used mechanically or to link ideas that are not clearly explained. The referencing is occasionally confusing, such as referring to the districts as 'the 4 cities', which is factually incorrect based on the provided data. Paragraphing is present but the internal logic within the paragraphs needs to be more tightly focused on the data provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. The student uses basic terms like 'dramatic increase', 'steady increase', and 'climbs'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as referring to the districts as 'cities' and using 'varied differently', which is redundant. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general meaning, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility or the use of less common lexical items required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the figures varied differently in other cities' and 'the 4 cities had 24% of the total population'. The use of articles and prepositions is occasionally inconsistent. Despite these errors, the grammar does not significantly impede communication, and the sentence structures are varied enough to show an attempt at complexity.

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