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)

This first table illustrates the population trend in changes of New York City and next two tables describe this trend in five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queen, and Staten Island) between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, population of New York City displayed a dramatic increase in last two centuries ([redacted phone]) and Manhattan district displayed the major share of population percentage but with the passage of time, other districts showed the significant increase in thier polulation, left Manhattan behind by big margin.

Population of New York City recorded a sharp increase from 79,216 to 3,437,202 between 1800 and 1900. This trend continued as population of city broken the eight million barrier in 200. Manhattan district displayed the population of 60,515 that accounted for 76% share in whole New York City. But population percentage share declined to 54% and 19% in 1900 and 2000 respectively.

Other districts recorded the approx one fourth share in population percentage with a total population number of 18,701 in 1800. But with the passage of time, other districts record a dramatic increase in population and their population percentage rose to 46% and 81% in 1900 and 2000 respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the population growth in New York City and its districts. You selected key data points to support your summary, such as the shift in percentage share from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the response contains a significant factual error: you stated the population 'broken the eight million barrier in 200', which is a clear typo for 2000. Additionally, the analysis of the 'other districts' is slightly vague; it would have been more effective to briefly mention the specific growth of one or two of these districts to provide a more comprehensive report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'but with the passage of time', and 'respectively' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by mechanical phrasing, such as 'This first table illustrates... and next two tables describe'. The transition between the general city population and the specific district data could be smoother. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the referencing is sometimes repetitive, and the connection between sentences could be more varied to improve the overall cohesion of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dramatic increase', 'major share', and 'accounted for'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and minor spelling errors, such as 'thier polulation' and 'approx'. The use of 'big margin' is somewhat informal for an academic report. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise collocations and ensure that spelling is accurate throughout the text. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the sophistication required for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'population of New York City displayed a dramatic increase in last two centuries' lacks necessary articles ('the'). There are also issues with verb tense consistency and subject-verb agreement, such as 'other districts record a dramatic increase' (should be 'recorded'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your main points, they indicate a lack of control over more complex grammatical structures, which limits your score in this criterion.

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

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