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 three tables illustrate the changes in the total population of five districts in New York City between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, In 2000, the population has grown significantly in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island. On the contrary, it has decreased in Manhattan. But in New York City as a whole, the number of people has raised exponentially.

In 1800, the population of New York City comprising 60,515 people in Manhattan and 18,701people in other four cities (76% and 24% of total population), was 79,216 in total, which was the lowest among all the other periods.

However, In 1900, there was considerable rise in the growth of population, approximately more than four times in comparison with the data in the year 1800, that is 3,437,202 from which 54% people living in Manhattan and 46% in remaining districts. Moreover, the figure became almost double in 2000 with 8,009,185 individuals ( 19% in Manhattan and 81% in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) residing in New York City.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main trends, such as the overall growth in NYC and the shift in population distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the total figures, you fail to provide a detailed breakdown of the individual districts as requested by the prompt, instead grouping them together. The data interpretation is generally accurate, but the lack of specific comparisons between the districts (e.g., noting that Brooklyn became the most populous) limits the depth of the response. To reach a higher band, ensure you highlight key data points for all categories provided in the tables rather than just summarizing the total and the Manhattan/non-Manhattan split.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'On the contrary', 'However', and 'Moreover' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as referring to the districts as 'other four cities' when they are actually districts of one city. The progression of ideas is clear, but the paragraphing could be more balanced to ensure the information is presented in a more structured, analytical flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'exponentially', 'considerable rise', and 'residing'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'comprising 60,515 people... was 79,216 in total', which is slightly awkward phrasing. Additionally, referring to the districts as 'cities' is factually incorrect in this context. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. Focusing on more precise collocations related to data trends would improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'In 2000, the population has grown' (should be 'had grown' or 'grew'), 'the number of people has raised' (should be 'has risen'), and '18,701people' (missing space). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some missing spaces after commas and unnecessary capitalization (e.g., 'In 1900'). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Increasing the variety of error-free complex structures is recommended.

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

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