Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-21

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 rendered tables compare the overall population of New York City from the year 1800 with 2000, and the fluctuations in population of five different districts within the city for the same time span. Evidently, total population of the New York surged drastically.

It is manifest that in the year 1800, the number was around 79,216 of humans. From which, increased to 3,437,202 members in 1900. Moreover, in the 2000, the city accounted for 8,009,185 of the population.

In addition, the Manhattan had majority of population (76) among all the districts, whilst Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island held just below the quarter of the population in 1800. Furthermore, in 1900, When Manhattan observed more than half of the population, the other districts accounted for less than a half. Finally, in 2000, Manhattan district held just below two fifth of the public, whereas other districts observed almost 81% of the total population.

Overall, in the eighteenth century the population was relatively low compared with the year 2000, where the data suggested leaping in the number of people in the city.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main trends and provides data from the tables to support the summary. You successfully identified the overall growth in population and made comparisons between the districts across the three time points. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, you state Manhattan had 76% of the population in 1800, whereas the table indicates 60,515 out of 79,216, which is approximately 76% of the total, but your phrasing is slightly awkward. Additionally, the reference to the 'eighteenth century' in the conclusion is factually incorrect as the data spans the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. To improve, ensure data is interpreted precisely and avoid mislabeling time periods.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for data, and a summary. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Finally' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'From which, increased to...', which lacks a clear subject. The referencing is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the general population and the district-specific data could be smoother. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that each sentence clearly connects to the previous one without grammatical gaps.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuations', 'surged', and 'accounted for'. However, there are several instances of unnatural word choice and collocation errors, such as '79,216 of humans', 'leaping in the number', and 'two fifth of the public'. These errors occasionally make the text sound slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on learning collocations—for example, using 'residents' or 'inhabitants' instead of 'humans' or 'members' when discussing population statistics. Expanding your range of academic vocabulary will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'total population of the New York surged' (missing article), 'in the 2000' (incorrect article usage), and 'When Manhattan observed...' (incorrect capitalization). Additionally, some sentences are fragmented or lack proper subjects, such as 'From which, increased to...'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring every sentence has a clear, complete structure.

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

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