Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-04

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 represented tables give information about the changes in the over all population of New York City as well as changes in population of its five districts in the year 1800, 1900 and 2000.

Overall, the population in the New York City has been increased the period, in which the population of Manhattan district alone dominated in initial two centuries; however, in last century the population of other districts including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queen, Staten Island surpassed the number.

In 1800, the population in the New York City was 79216, in which the Manhattan alone contributed 60515 of population about 76% of overall population; whereas, other districts just had 18701 of crowd. In 1900, The total population of the New York City upsurge to [redacted phone] and still Manhattan district had the maximum people living with [redacted phone] which is 54% of total population, whereas other district just had 46% of population.

In 2000, population of the New York City reached [redacted phone]. While, Manhattan district contributed 19% of population the population of other four cities surpassed the Manhattan population with the crowd number of [redacted phone] that comprises 81% of overall population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the total population and the trends across the five districts. You have successfully identified the main features, such as the dominance of Manhattan in the early years and the shift in population distribution by 2000. However, the analysis is slightly hampered by minor inaccuracies in data reporting (e.g., referring to the districts as 'cities'). While the key trends are highlighted, the comparison between the districts could be more nuanced to reach a higher band. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the main developments over the two-century period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that follow a chronological structure. Cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'however', and 'while' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different time periods. To improve, ensure that referencing is precise; for example, referring to the districts as 'other four cities' is confusing as they are parts of one city. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, using terms like 'dominated', 'surpassed', and 'contributed'. However, there are some awkward word choices, such as 'upsurge' (which is usually a noun, not a verb) and 'crowd number', which is not standard academic terminology. Additionally, referring to the districts as 'cities' is a lexical inaccuracy. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, more precise and varied collocations related to demographic data would help elevate the score. Spelling is generally accurate, but the word choice lacks the precision required for higher bands.

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 'the population in the New York City has been increased' (incorrect passive voice/tense) and 'the Manhattan alone' (unnecessary article). You also have issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, such as 'in the year 1800, 1900 and 2000'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on consistent tense usage and article placement will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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