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 tables compare the changes in the total population of New York City and the total as well as, share of their population between Manhattan and other four districts of this city (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) in 1800, 1900 and 2000.
Overall, New York City's total population has dramatically increased in 200 years. Although Manhattan's population climb up in this period, its percentage of total population has decreased. Meanwhile, the other four districts total population and share of overall population has moved up in this time.
In 1800, New York City's population was 79,216, whereas 60,515 (76%) were from Manhattan and 18,701 (24%) were from other districts. Manhattan was the most populous district in that time. By 1900, this city's population significantly increased to 3,437,202 and Manhattan's residual has climbed to 1,850,093 but its share of total people dramatically moved down to 54%. Conversely, the other four districts population has gradually move to 46% of total population and reached 1,587,109.
New York City's residual more than doubled in 2000. Although other districts' percentage of total population increased modestly to 81% which is 6,471,089 respectively, Manhattan's population climb down to 1,538,096 which is one-fifth of the proportion in this year.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the total population growth and comparing the shifts between Manhattan and the other four districts. The main features, such as the dramatic overall increase and the inverse trend in population shares, are clearly identified. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by inaccurate terminology; for example, the term 'residual' is used incorrectly to refer to population counts, which causes some confusion. Additionally, the statement that Manhattan's population in 2000 was 'one-fifth of the proportion' is mathematically unclear. Despite these minor issues, the key trends are well-supported by the data provided in the tables.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs that group information chronologically. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Conversely', and 'Although' are used to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed data analysis. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing of 'this city's population' or 'its share' could be more precise to ensure the reader always knows exactly which data point is being referenced. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive language like 'dramatically increased' and 'modestly'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice that detract from the precision of the report. The word 'residual' is used repeatedly in place of 'population' or 'figure', which is an inappropriate collocation. Furthermore, phrases like 'climb up' and 'moved down' are somewhat informal and imprecise for an academic report. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'surged', 'declined', or 'accounted for'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('Manhattan's population climb up', 'other four districts total population... has moved up') and tense inconsistencies. Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'Manhattan's population climb down to 1,538,096 which is one-fifth of the proportion in this year'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Greater attention to verb forms and pluralization would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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