Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-15

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 table compares the new York population from the 18th century to the 20th century and among five districts, which shows that in the given period, the population has increased from less than 80000 to around 80 million, which is, of course, a dramatic increase. Overall population of the city increased, but among the districts, Manhattan experienced steady decline compared to other districts, from its share of 76% in 1800 to 54% in 1900 and 19% in 2000.

In contrast, the other districts shared a consistent increase in the given period, 24% in 1800 to 46% in 1900 and almost doubled in 2000.

Although the total increase of the city increased exponentially, the overall distribution is uneven among five districts. The table showed initially Manhattan represented 4/5 of the population, later declining to 1/5, which is indicative of the fact all the increase of the population flowing from the other 4 districts

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response identifies the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. You stated the population increased to '80 million', whereas the table shows 8 million. Furthermore, the claim that Manhattan's share was 76% in 1800 is incorrect based on the provided data. While you attempt to compare the districts, the lack of precision in citing figures undermines the task achievement. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are transcribed accurately and that the overview clearly synthesizes the most significant changes rather than just listing percentages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure for a short report. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast' and 'Although' to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by unclear referencing, such as the phrase 'all the increase of the population flowing from the other 4 districts', which is grammatically awkward and confusing. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the general population trend and the district-specific breakdown could be smoother. The use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical, and the logical flow is occasionally interrupted by the inaccuracies in the data interpretation.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'exponentially', 'indicative', and 'distribution'. However, there are some word choice errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'shared a consistent increase' (which is not the best collocation for percentages) and 'the total increase of the city increased'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more accurate collocations when describing statistical trends, such as 'experienced a steady decline' or 'accounted for a significant proportion'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'the total increase of the city increased' (redundant) and 'which is indicative of the fact all the increase of the population flowing from...' (missing 'is' and 'that'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure in the final paragraph is fragmented. The majority of sentences are understandable, but the frequency of grammatical slips prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that relative clauses are complete.

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

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