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 tables give information about the changes of the population of New York city and of the five districts within the city between 1800 to 2000.

Overall, it is clear that the total population of the city increased over the two hundred year period. But surprisingly this number declined for Manhattan over the period, while it increased for the rest of the districts.

In 1800, the residents of New York City were 79,216 which gradually increased, and reached at 8,009,185 by 2000. Coming to Manhattan district this number was 60,515 that covered 76% of the total population. This proportion saw a dcrease over the given period and finally reached at 19% of the total residents in 2000.

By contrast, the figure for the rest four districts increased throughout the given years. In 1800 the number of people lived in these districts were 18,701 which was 24% of the total population of the city. This number rose to 1,587,109 in 1900 holding 46% of the total, and finally in 2000 it became all time highest at 81% of the total.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview. You correctly highlighted the contrast between the overall growth of New York City and the specific decline in Manhattan's population share. However, the report is slightly unbalanced; while you provide specific data for Manhattan and the 'rest of the districts' as a group, you do not mention the individual growth of the other four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island), which were provided in the tables. To reach a higher band, ensure you include more specific data points for the individual districts to provide a more comprehensive summary of the provided information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 1800', 'By contrast', and 'finally' helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed analysis. The flow is generally smooth, although some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'residents', and 'declined' effectively. There are some minor errors, such as 'dcrease' (spelling) and 'reached at' (collocation error; it should be 'reached 8,009,185'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision of less common lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the residents of New York City were 79,216' (the population was 79,216) and 'the number of people lived in these districts were' (the number of people living in these districts was). Additionally, 'reached at' is a recurring error. Despite these slips, the meaning is always clear, and the errors do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and preposition usage.

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

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