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, regarding 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 | 6.0 |
| 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
You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other four districts. You have included data from all three tables and made relevant comparisons. However, the report could be improved by better integrating the data. For instance, you list the figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000 in separate sentences, which makes the report feel a bit like a list of statistics. To reach a higher band, try to group the data more analytically, focusing on the most significant changes rather than reporting every figure chronologically.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices like 'In contrast', 'However', and 'On the other hand' to signal shifts in focus. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'the other four districts' which could be more smoothly linked to the previous mention of Manhattan. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the progression of ideas is generally easy to follow throughout the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'contribution', 'significantly', and 'considerably'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'percentage of contribution' (which is slightly redundant) and 'across five district' (should be plural). You attempt to use some specific terminology related to data reporting, but the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to vary your verbs for describing trends—for example, using 'surged', 'plummeted', or 'remained dominant' instead of repeating 'increased' or 'held'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, particularly with pluralization (e.g., 'other four district', 'across five district') and punctuation (e.g., 'Looking at the total population of the New York City. In 1800...'). The sentence fragment 'In 1800, the population was 79,216, which rose significantly to 3,437,202 in 1900' is well-constructed, but other sentences are slightly disjointed. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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