Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-11

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 tables illustrate the dramatic rise in the total population of New York City and variations in contribution by its five districts: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island in the total figure, over the period of three years, [redacted phone].

Overall, the total population of New York City increased significantly over the past three years. Initially, in 1800, the proportion of people living in the city was 79,216, which grew multiple times in 1900 to about 3,437,202, and ultimately reached 8,009,185 at the end of the timeframe. However, in the beginning, Manhattan was the largest contributor to the population, comprising 76% of the total, whereas other districts contributed to only 24%. By 1900. the proportion declined to 54% for the Manhattan district; in contrast, the population of other districts grew greatly to almost 46% of the whole city's population. Subsequently, by the end of the 20th century, the figure took a deep plunge for Manhattan, as it reduced to 19%, meanwhile other districts represented 81% of the residents of the New York City.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the data well, identifying the overall growth in population and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by a significant factual error in the introduction: you refer to the period as 'three years' rather than 'two centuries' (1800-2000). While the key trends are highlighted, the report could be improved by providing more specific data points for the other districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, etc.) rather than grouping them entirely as 'other districts' throughout the summary. This limits the depth of the comparison.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction and an overview followed by supporting details. Cohesive devices such as 'initially', 'whereas', 'in contrast', and 'subsequently' are used effectively to guide the reader through the chronological changes. Paragraphing is present, though the response would benefit from a more distinct separation between the overview and the body paragraphs to improve the flow. Referencing is generally clear, though the grouping of all non-Manhattan districts under one label makes the progression feel slightly repetitive.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the trends, using terms like 'dramatic rise', 'proportion', 'contributor', and 'deep plunge'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'variations in contribution' or 'grew greatly'. The repetition of 'contribution' and 'proportion' suggests a need for more varied synonyms. Spelling is accurate throughout, and the vocabulary is appropriate for an academic report, even if it lacks a high degree of sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor punctuation errors, such as the period used instead of a comma after 'By 1900'. Additionally, the phrase 'the proportion of people living in the city was 79,216' is slightly inaccurate, as 79,216 refers to the total number of people, not a proportion. While there are occasional errors, they do not impede communication, and the control of grammar is generally good throughout the text.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.