Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-01

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 illustrates the overall changes in the total population of New York City since 1800 to 2000. and population changes over the same period for other five districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island)

Overall, During 2000, the New York City has the highest population with a figure of 8,009,185. then 2000 year followed by 1900 with population of 3,437,202. Lastly, only around 79,216 people lived in New York City in 1800, making it the least populated year shown.

In 1900, Manhattan accounted for the significantly high percentage(54%) of total population at 1,850,093. whereas, In the same year other districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) had total of population 1,587,109 which is less as compared to Manhattan. In 2000, other five districts together

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 ability to fully address the task. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is incomplete; the response cuts off abruptly in the final paragraph, leaving the data for 2000 largely unaddressed. To improve, ensure you provide a comprehensive overview of all data points and complete your comparisons for all time periods mentioned in the prompt. The failure to finish the report prevents a full coverage of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is disrupted by the incomplete final sentence. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall' and 'whereas', but they are sometimes applied mechanically or incorrectly, such as the awkward phrasing 'then 2000 year followed by 1900'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the districts. To improve, focus on using transition signals more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, completed logical progression before moving to the next point.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the tables illustrates' (subject-verb agreement) and 'significantly high percentage'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'experienced a substantial increase' or 'accounted for the majority of'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with articles ('the New York City'), subject-verb agreement ('The tables illustrates'), and sentence fragments ('and population changes over the same period...'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary periods used mid-sentence. While some simple sentences are clear, the control over complex structures is weak. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and proofread carefully to eliminate minor errors in articles and punctuation.

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