Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-10
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 three tables illustrate the changes in the total population across five districts of New York City in 1800, 1900 and 2000.
From a broader overview, it is clear that the total population of the New York City increased throughout the period. As the year passed, the percentage of contribution of Manhattan towards the total population of New York City decreased gradually. In contrast, the other four districts had accounted for the highest percentage of the total population in 2000.
Looking at the total population of the New York City. In 1800, the population was 79,216, which rose significantly to 3,437,202 in 1900. This figure increased to a peak of 8,009,185 in 2000. The contribution of Manhattan district to the total population is shown below. In 1800, Manhattan held 76% of the total population, reported at 60,515. However, the percentage of contribution decreased to 54% in 1900, accounted for 1,850,093. In 2000, Manhattan held only 19% of the total population across five district, at 1,538,096.
On the other hand, regrading the percentage of contribution of other four district: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. In 1800, these four district together held 24% of the total population, at 18,701, which increased considerably to 1,587,109, holding 46% of the total population. These district held 81% of the total population in 2000, accounted for 6,471,089.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the total population growth and the shifting distribution across the districts. You successfully identified the main trend: the significant rise in total population and the inverse relationship between Manhattan's declining percentage and the growth of the other four districts. The data is accurately reported, and the comparison between 1800, 1900, and 2000 is clear. To reach a higher band, ensure that the 'overview' paragraph provides a more comprehensive summary of the key trends rather than just stating that the population increased. You could also group the data more effectively to highlight the contrast between the districts more sharply.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on specific data sets. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'However', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, there are some minor issues with sentence-level cohesion; for example, 'Looking at the total population of the New York City. In 1800...' is a sentence fragment. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that all punctuation marks are used correctly would enhance the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'contribution', 'accounted for', and 'significantly'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'regrading' (likely a typo for 'regarding') and 'percentage of contribution of other four district' (should be plural 'districts'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information clearly, it lacks the sophistication and variety required for a higher band. Incorporating more precise reporting verbs and varied synonyms for 'increase' or 'decrease' would strengthen this section.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the total population of the New York City' (the article 'the' is unnecessary before New York City) and 'these four district' (should be plural). Additionally, there are some issues with sentence fragments and subject-verb agreement. The punctuation is generally functional, but the frequent minor errors in grammar prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for pluralization and article usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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