Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-24

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)

These tables display information about the population changes in New Your City (all five districts) within 2 centuries. In the 1800s, the population in NYC was 79,216, in 1900 it increased to 3,437,202, and in 2000 spiked to 8,009,185. In 1800, most people preferred to live in Manhattan; it was holding 76% of the total population which is about 60,515 people. The rest lived in the other districts - Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island. More people were living in these four districts in 1900 as compared to 1800 with 1,587,109 people. Manhattan was still home to more than half of the total population in 1900; 1,850,093 people which was about 54% of the total. In the 2000s however, these numbers declined drastically. Only 19% of the total population lived in Manhattan at that time. It seems as the years passed, people's preferences had changed. Now about 81% of the total population living in NYC which is 6,471,089 people, live in the four districts and not manhattan. This is contrary to what was the case in the 1800s.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends in the population growth of New York City and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other four districts. You provided relevant data points to support your observations. However, to reach a higher band, you should ensure that all data is presented accurately. For instance, your calculation for the four districts in 1900 (1,587,109) is slightly inaccurate based on the provided table (1,587,109 is the sum of the four districts, but your phrasing implies a comparison that could be clearer). Additionally, ensure you cover all parts of the data; while you mention the total, a more systematic breakdown of the growth across all districts would provide a more comprehensive overview.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, moving chronologically from 1800 to 2000. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In the 1800s', 'In 1900', and 'In the 2000s', which help the reader follow the timeline. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire response is a single block of text. Breaking this into at least two or three paragraphs—perhaps one for the total population trend and another for the district-specific shifts—would significantly improve the flow and readability. Additionally, some transitions between sentences feel slightly mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'spiked', 'drastically', and 'preferences'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and informal phrasing, such as 'New Your City' (a typo) and 'not manhattan' (which should be capitalized). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'accounted for', or 'experienced a shift'. The current range is sufficient to communicate your points clearly, but it lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'It seems as the years passed' (missing 'though' or 'that') and '81% of the total population living in NYC... live in the four districts'. The latter is a run-on structure that could be simplified for better accuracy. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but ensure consistent capitalization for proper nouns like 'Manhattan'. Increasing the variety of complex structures while reducing these minor errors will help improve your score.

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

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