Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-28
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 chart illustrates the alteration of overall citizenry of New York City, and the other two tables delineate the changes of proportion of the total population in different cities between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, in 2000, the numbers of overall community were the largest in New York City. However, in Manhattan, the ratio of inhabitants was the highest in 1800, while by 2000, percentage significantly decreased. Whereas, in other districts, the numbers of populace were increased highly in 2000.
In detail, in 1800, 79,216 peoples were living in all the five districts, then subsequently showed growth to 3,437,202 by the year 1900. While the overall residents were reached to8,009,186 in the year 2000.
In contrast, in Manhattan, the population accounted for 60,515 in 1800, and then it increased to 1,850,093 (54%) and 1,538,096 (19%) during the years 1900 and 2000, respectively. By comparison, 24% of population of other districts in 1800 showed a dramatic change to first 46% in 1900 and then 81% in 2000, containing 6,471,089 population.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 overall population growth and the shifting proportions in Manhattan versus the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat limited. While you identify the trends, the comparison between the districts could be more detailed. For instance, you mention the other districts collectively but do not highlight the specific growth patterns of individual boroughs like Brooklyn or Queens, which are clearly visible in the data. The overview is present but lacks a clear synthesis of the most significant trends. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a more comprehensive summary of the key data points across all categories provided in the tables.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the general overview to specific details. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'In detail', and 'by comparison' to link your points. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final sentence where the grouping of 'other districts' becomes a bit confusing. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between the data points is explicitly stated will help improve the flow and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'delineate', 'citizenry', and 'inhabitants'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, 'numbers of overall community' is awkward, and 'populace were increased highly' is not standard English. Additionally, 'peoples' is used incorrectly; 'people' is already plural. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, you need to work on more precise collocations and avoid non-standard phrasing to move into the higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the numbers of overall community were the largest' (should be 'the total population was the largest') and 'the overall residents were reached to' (should be 'the overall population reached'). Punctuation and article usage also need attention, such as the missing space in 'to8,009,186'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct verb tense usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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