Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31
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 illustrates the changes in New York City population from 1800 to 2000, whereas the second and third tables illustrate the changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same duration.
Overall, the population of New York City consistently rose. The populations of Manhattan and other four districts together showed opposite trends over the years. While the Manhattan population gradually decreased, whereas the population of the other districts gradually increased.
The population of New York City (all five districts) went from 79,216 in 1800 to 3,437,202 in 1900 and then jumped a huge margin to 8,009,185 in 2000.
Manhattan was densely populated with 76% population in 1800, but the numbers started falling with 54% in 1900 and finally 19% in 2000.
Other four districts including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island were sparsely populated in 1800 with only 24% population. In the coming years, more and more people started inhabiting the districts. The percentage increased till 46% in 1900 and further increased till 81% 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
You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You correctly highlighted the overall population growth and the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the report could be improved by including more specific data points for the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, etc.) rather than grouping them entirely as 'other'. While you mentioned the percentages, the actual population figures for the individual districts are missing, which limits the depth of your analysis. To reach a higher band, ensure you select and report on the most significant data points from all provided tables to provide a more comprehensive summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the total population data from the district percentage data. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'While' and 'In the coming years', to link ideas. However, there are some minor issues with cohesion; for example, the sentence 'While the Manhattan population gradually decreased, whereas the population of the other districts gradually increased' is grammatically awkward due to the double conjunction. Improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'densely populated', 'sparsely populated', and 'inhabiting'. The language is generally appropriate for a report. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'jumped a huge margin' and 'increased till', which could be more precise. To improve, try to use more academic collocations and varied reporting verbs. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but it lacks the sophistication required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'While the Manhattan population gradually decreased, whereas the population of the other districts gradually increased', which contains two subordinating/coordinating conjunctions that clash. Additionally, 'Other four districts' should be 'The other four districts'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of complex sentence construction. Increasing the variety of your sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will help improve this score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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