Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-02

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 presented table data depict the information of total citizens of the New York city between 1800 to 2000. However, the second and third table data illustrates the variations of the five districts of the cities such as Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island in the same period of time. The data are given as numbers as well as percentages.

Overall, it can be seen that in New York city the highest population recorded during the year 2000. While in the same year Manhattan accounted by the lowest number of population and in 1800 other districts held the least proportion of the population.

To begin with, in 1800 the total number of population of New York city roughly 79,216. The figure gradually increased around 3,437,202 during the year 1900. Moreover, it marginally went up in the year 2000 at 8,009,185.

Moving to the rest of the information, the Manhattan city held the proportion of the population around 60,515. It was 76% in 1800. The figure slightly increased in 1900. It was around 1,850,093 at 54%. After that, in 2000 the proportion of the citizens went down about 1,538,096 by 19%. It was the lowest number of population recorded in New York city under the Manhattan district. Moreover, in the other four districts 24% of community noted in the year 1800. The figure marginally increased during the year 1900 and 2000 at 46% and 81% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided data to support your points. You covered the total population growth and the shifts in the five districts. However, there are some inaccuracies in your interpretation of the data. For example, you stated that Manhattan accounted for the lowest population in 2000, but the table shows Staten Island had the lowest. Additionally, your description of the 'other four districts' is slightly confusing as it aggregates data that could have been presented more clearly. To reach a higher band, ensure that your data points are precise and that you distinguish clearly between the individual districts as requested by the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices like 'To begin with' and 'Moving to the rest of the information' to guide the reader. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the total population data and the district-specific data could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for an IELTS Task 1 response, helping to separate the overview from the detailed body paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'variations', 'proportion', and 'marginally'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For instance, 'accounted by' is incorrect; it should be 'accounted for'. You also use 'community' where 'population' or 'residents' would be more accurate. While you attempt to use some less common vocabulary, the errors in word choice occasionally make the text feel slightly unnatural. Focusing on precise collocations will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'The presented table data depict the information of total citizens' (should be 'depicts the total population') and 'the total number of population of New York city roughly 79,216' (missing a verb). You also have issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing your control over basic sentence construction and verb forms is recommended.

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

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