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 first table displays New York City's population from 1800 to 2000. The second and third table display the population of five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same timeline.
Overall, the population of all the cities have increased from 1800 to 2000. Though the percentage of total population have decreased in Manhattan, other four districts' percentage of total population have increased over this period.
In New York City, the total population went up from 79,216 to 8,009,185 among these years. In Manhattan, it showed some fluctuations also. Total population in this city increased from 1800 to 1900 which is around 60 thousand to 1.8 million approximately, whereas it decreased to around 1.5 million in 2000. On the other hand, total population of other districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) rose from 18,701 in 1800 to around 6.4 million people in 2000.
Although the total population rose in these 200 years, the percentage of total population went down in Manhattan from 76% to one-fifth. In the meanwhile, the total population of other districts have gradually increased from almost a quarter to 81% in these years.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response successfully identifies the main trends in the data, such as the overall population growth and the shift in the proportion of residents living in Manhattan versus the other districts. You have selected relevant data points to support your summary. However, the analysis could be improved by being more precise with the data provided in the tables. For instance, referring to the districts collectively as 'cities' is inaccurate, as they are boroughs of one city. Additionally, while you mention the percentage shift, a more detailed comparison of the specific growth rates between the districts would have strengthened the response. Overall, you have covered the requirements well.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the total population to specific district trends. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Although', and 'In the meanwhile' to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as using 'these years' or 'these 200 years' without clearly anchoring the timeline in every instance. Overall, the structure is effective and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuations', 'proportion', and 'gradually increased'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as referring to the boroughs as 'cities' and the phrase 'among these years', which is not standard collocation. While you attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited, and some expressions are repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology related to data description and ensuring that collocations are natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Although the total population rose... the percentage... went down'. However, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the population of all the cities have increased' should be 'has increased'; 'percentage... have decreased' should be 'has decreased'). These errors occur frequently but do not impede the reader's understanding of the data. To improve, pay closer attention to singular/plural agreement and ensure that your verb tenses are consistent when describing historical data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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