Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-09
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 3 tables compare the changes in sum of the population of New York city between 1800 and 2000, also tables depict the changes particularly in 5 different districts over the same period.
Overall, population of New York increased rapidly. Manhattan's population declined drastically over 2 centuries, whereas Brooklyn, Bronx,Queens and Staten Island saw a rapid increase after 200 years.
in 1800, New York's total population was 79,216. Around 76% from the total population used to live in manhattan, while only 24% proportion lived in other 4 districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island). In the next century, total population of New York jumped to 3,437,202. Manhattan's population declined to 54% proportion compared with the previous century, but in 1900 other districts population rose from 24% to 46% from the entire population of new york, respectively.
In 2000, it could be observed that the total population of NY soared dramatically (8,009,185). Manhattan's population fell from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096 reaching a percentage of 19% which was 54% in 1900. Though Manhattan dropped to 19%, other 4 districts rose to 81% of entire proportion of New York population, which was 6,471,089 people.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task and provides a clear overview of the population trends. You successfully identified the main features, such as the overall growth of New York City and the shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts. However, the analysis of the data could be more precise. For instance, stating that Manhattan's population 'declined drastically' is slightly misleading, as the data shows it actually increased significantly between 1800 and 1900 before declining later. More careful attention to the specific figures provided in the tables would strengthen the accuracy of your reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods. While the use of cohesive devices like 'whereas' and 'though' is effective, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. Additionally, the referencing of the 'other 4 districts' could be smoother to avoid repetitive phrasing. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms such as 'soared', 'drastically', and 'proportion' to describe the data. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'sum of the population' (total population) and 'in 2000, it could be observed that...' which is a bit wordy. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, incorporating more varied and precise academic collocations would elevate the response to a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in manhattan', 'in 5 different districts'), capitalization errors ('new york', 'manhattan'), and some awkward phrasing like '46% from the entire population'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on consistent capitalization and article usage will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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