Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-29

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)

these tables show the changes in population of New York City and its five districts from 1800 to 2000. As for New York city as a whole its population has rose from 79,216 to 8,009,185. Manhattan even though its overall population rose from 60,515 to 1,538,096 in the year 2000, Manhattan's population as a percentage of the total population of New York city itself fell gradually from 76 % of New York's total population to 54 % in the year 1900 and then a sharp fall to 19 % in 2000. On the other hand other four districts saw an overall increase in population from 18,701 to 6,471,089 from 1800 - 2000 and also we can see that their share of percentage of population has risen from 24 % in 1800 to making up 81% of New York's total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main trends for the total population and the shift in proportions between Manhattan and the other districts, the analysis is quite brief. You have not provided a clear overview or summary of the data for the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) beyond grouping them together. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive summary that highlights key data points for all categories mentioned in the prompt and ensure you meet the minimum length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is written as a single paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. While there is some attempt at logical sequencing, the lack of paragraphing and limited use of cohesive devices (such as 'on the other hand') makes the text feel somewhat disjointed. To improve, you should structure your report into clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group related data logically. Using a wider range of linking words and phrases will help guide the reader through your analysis more effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. You rely on basic verbs like 'rose' and 'fell' repeatedly. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'share of percentage of population,' which is redundant. To improve, try to incorporate a more varied range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'experienced a significant surge,' 'declined steadily,' or 'accounted for a substantial proportion.' Focusing on collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help elevate your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

There are several grammatical errors that affect the clarity of your writing. For instance, 'its population has rose' is incorrect; it should be 'has risen.' The sentence structure is often repetitive, relying heavily on simple or compound sentences. There are also issues with punctuation and capitalization, such as 'New York city' (should be 'City') and the lack of proper sentence boundaries in some places. To improve, focus on mastering verb tenses and subject-verb agreement. Additionally, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or subordinating conjunctions, to demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.