Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-20
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 illustrates the information about the New York city and its district (Manhattan; Brooklyn,Bronx, Queens,Staten island) from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, it is clear that New York city's total population increased rapidly over the period of 200 years. Manhattan population share declined, while the other districts population climbed up gradually.
In 1800 the city had 79,216 people. By 1900 the population jumped to 3,437,202 and further to 8,009,185 to 2000.
Manhattan held at 60,515 citizens(76% of the total) in 1800. By 1900 it's population grew to significantly at 1,850,093 and (54% of the total). By 2000 it fell to 1,538,096 , making up 19% of the total.
The other districts had 18,701 people (24% of the total) in 1800. By 1900, their population reached at 1,587,109 (46% of the total). In 2000, the citizens grew up significantly at 6,471,089 accounting for 81% of the total population.
In short New York citys overall population expand sharply and Manhattan grew up and fell slightly by end of 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers the main features of the data, including the total population growth and the shifting proportions of the districts. You successfully identified the key trend: the decline of Manhattan's share versus the growth of other districts. However, the summary is slightly hampered by minor inaccuracies in data presentation, such as stating Manhattan's population 'grew to significantly at 1,850,093' which is slightly awkward phrasing. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are clearly linked to the specific years provided and avoid minor inconsistencies in the summary section, where you mention Manhattan 'fell slightly' at the end, which contradicts the earlier data showing a significant drop from 54% to 19%.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group data by category (total population vs. district breakdown). The use of cohesive devices like 'In 1800', 'By 1900', and 'In short' helps guide the reader through the timeline. However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and there are minor issues with punctuation, such as the inconsistent use of semicolons and commas in the first paragraph (e.g., 'Manhattan; Brooklyn,Bronx'). Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring consistent punctuation would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'population share', 'declined', 'climbed up gradually', and 'accounting for'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'grew up significantly' (which is informal) and 'reached at' (which is grammatically incorrect). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Focusing on more academic collocations and avoiding phrasal verbs like 'grew up' in this context would improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'The tables illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), 'to 2000' instead of 'in 2000', and 'New York citys' (missing apostrophe). Additionally, the phrasing 'grew to significantly at' is awkward. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and the proper use of possessive apostrophes.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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