Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-26
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 table graphs compare the total population of New York City and five different cities including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island between 1800 to 2000.
Overall, the population in New York city rose significantly over the given period of time, while proportion of population in other five districts showed variations throughout the period.
In 1800, the total population was high which is 79,216 compared to Manhattan and other districts which were 60,515 and 18,701, respectively. The population in city continuously escalated until 2000.
On the other hand, Manhattan showed the majority of population were living in this district in 1800 , followed by more than half in 1900 and percentage of population dropped in 2000 dramatically to approximately one-fifth of population.
Looking at four other districts of the city, around quarter of people live in these districts in 1800 which had rose to 46% by 1900, and climbed to the highest peak where 81% of population prefer to live in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island in 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| 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 shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other four districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the description of the 1800 data is slightly inaccurate, as the text states the total population was 79,216, but the breakdown provided (60,515 and 18,701) does not align with the provided table figures for the districts. Furthermore, the report lacks a clear comparison of the specific growth trends for the individual districts mentioned in the second table, focusing instead on a broad grouping that obscures the data. The overview is present but could be more precise regarding the specific trends observed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on different aspects of the data. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand' and 'Looking at' are used to transition between ideas. However, the progression of information is occasionally mechanical, and some referencing is unclear, such as the phrase 'other five districts' in the introduction, which is slightly confusing since Manhattan is one of the five. The use of linking words is generally functional but lacks the sophistication required for a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive language like 'escalated', 'dramatically', and 'variations'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'the table graphs compare' (the prompt refers to tables, not graphs) and 'proportion of population in other five districts showed variations'. The phrasing 'had rose to' is a grammatical error that also affects lexical precision. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology when describing statistical trends and avoid repetitive sentence structures.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include 'had rose to' (should be 'had risen'), 'around quarter of people' (missing article 'a'), and 'where 81% of population prefer to live' (tense inconsistency). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before periods. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences would improve this score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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