Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-19

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 first table displays how the population of New York City have changed from 1800 to 2000, while the second and third tables illustrate the changes that have occurred in the five districts of the city throughout the same period.

Overall, the total population of New York City significantly increased over the years with other districts( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) accounting for the highest proportion of New York City’s population and Manhattan represented the city with the lowest percentage.

In 1800, New York City’s population stood at a total of 79,216 with Manhattan accounting for a total of 60,515 and a percentage of 76% and other districts represented 24% with a population of 18,701. In 1900, the total population of New York City significantly increased to 3,437,202. Manhattan also rose to 1,850,093 but there was a gradual decrease in the proportion of New York City’s population to 54%. Meanwhile, the population of other districts grew to 1,587,108 and accounted for 46% of the total population of New York City.

In 2000, the total population of New York City drastically increased to 8,009,185 and the percentage of Manhattan gradually declined to 19% with a population of

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response is incomplete, as it cuts off mid-sentence in the final paragraph. While you successfully identified the main trends and provided data for 1800 and 1900, the failure to complete the summary of the 2000 data and provide a concluding overview of the final period significantly impacts the task achievement. You have selected key features, but the incomplete nature of the response means the task is not fully addressed. To reach a higher band, ensure you complete the analysis of all time periods provided in the prompt and provide a clear, comprehensive summary of the data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'while', 'overall', and 'meanwhile' to link ideas. However, because the text ends abruptly, the progression of ideas is interrupted, which affects the overall coherence. The referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a final concluding thought or a complete final paragraph makes the structure feel unfinished. Ensure that you plan your time effectively to allow for a full conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significantly increased', 'proportion', and 'drastically'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'Manhattan represented the city with the lowest percentage', which is slightly awkward phrasing. You attempt to use a variety of descriptive language, which is good, but you need to ensure that your collocations are precise. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' would further improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The first table displays how the population... while the second and third tables illustrate...'. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'the population of New York City have changed' (should be 'has changed') and 'Manhattan represented the city' (should be 'Manhattan represented the district'). While these errors do not generally impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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