Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-05
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 table charts illustrate changes in the total resident of New York City ,while other 2 chats show changes in the resident of the five districts of the New York City from 1800 to 2000.
Overall,the highest population was happened in 2000 while the large population came from other districts in the same year.
Firstly, in 1800 ,the total population of New York City was 79,216 individuals ,moreover, the largest population came from Manhattan district , it accounted for 76% . In contrast , the least resident came from other four districts ,which was 24%. After 100 year later , the total population became 3,437,202 which increased a lot in 1900. Manhattan and other districts has similar population in 1900, which was 54% and 46% respectively.
secondly , in 2000, the population became three times lager than before ,which was 8,009,185 individuals . While the largest population came from other districts 81% highest than Manhattan in 2000.Moreover , the smallest proportion of residents came from Manhattan , it accounted for 19% the least percentage among all.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main features of the data, such as the total population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the description of the 1900 data is slightly inaccurate, as the text claims Manhattan and other districts had 'similar' populations (54% vs 46%), which is a reasonable observation, but the overall summary lacks a clear synthesis of the trends. The reporting of figures is generally accurate, but the response would benefit from more precise comparisons between the specific districts mentioned in the prompt rather than grouping them as 'other districts' throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the chronological progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'After 100 year later' and 'secondly , in 2000'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to 'other districts' without explicitly naming them or clarifying their collective identity. While the progression is logical, the transitions between sentences feel a bit disjointed, and the punctuation around commas and periods is inconsistent, which affects the flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is frequent repetition of words like 'population', 'districts', and 'residents'. Some word choices are unnatural, such as 'the highest population was happened' instead of 'the highest population occurred' or 'was recorded'. The phrase 'three times lager' contains a spelling error ('lager' instead of 'larger'). While the student successfully uses percentages to describe the data, the range of vocabulary is limited, preventing the response from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the total resident of New York City' (should be 'residents'), 'other 2 chats' (should be 'charts'), and '81% highest than Manhattan' (should be 'higher than'). Punctuation is also problematic, with inconsistent spacing before commas and periods. While the meaning remains clear despite these errors, the frequency of mistakes in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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