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 total population shifts of New York City between 1800 and 2000 are displayed in the first table and the other two tables show changes of inhabitants of five districts of the city namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island over the given time period.

Overall, the total population in New York City has increased significantly over the years where most of it occurred in Manhattan in 1800 and 1900. However, the number of residents increased in the other four cities in the final year reaching 81%.

The total number in the year 1800 was 79,216 in which 76% of them lived in Manhattan alone. A hundred years later the population increased significantly to 3,437,202 where more than a half of the proportion lived in Manhattan making this district most populous among the five.

However, the overall number reached to more than a double in the year 2000 making it 8,009,185, of which 81% (6,471,089) of the people started living in the other four districts leaving only 19% (1,538,096) of the people in Manhattan which was previously the most famous place to reside. As the number experienced a high rise in Manhattan in the first two years, it dramatically fell in the 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the data, including the overall population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, there are inaccuracies in the interpretation of the data. For instance, you state that the population 'dramatically fell' in Manhattan in 2000, but the table shows an increase in absolute numbers (from 1,850,093 in 1900 to 1,538,096 in 2000 is actually a decrease, but your phrasing suggests a collapse that ignores the complexity of the shift). Furthermore, the statement that 81% of the population lived in the other four districts in the final year is accurate, but the analysis of the 1800 and 1900 data could be more precise regarding the specific district trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the total population to specific district comparisons. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In which', and 'A hundred years later' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally confusing, such as the phrase 'in the first two years' when referring to the 1800-1900 period. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed data analysis.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'inhabitants', 'populous', and 'proportion'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as referring to the districts as 'cities' and using 'famous place to reside' which is slightly informal for an Academic Task 1 report. The use of 'high rise' is also slightly ambiguous in this context. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'reached to more than a double' (should be 'more than doubled') and 'in the 2000' (should be 'in 2000'). The sentence 'where most of it occurred in Manhattan in 1800 and 1900' is syntactically awkward. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but some sentences would benefit from better clause management to improve flow.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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