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 first table illustrates the variations in the total population of New York City for three different years 1800,1900 and 2000, while other two tables display varitions in the population of the five districts of the city for the same period.

Overll, the population of New York City increased significntly over the years. Residents in Manhattan decreased in terms of propotion, where as other districts population surged.

To begin with, New York City had total 79,216 residents in 1800, which grew significantly after one century to reach at 3,437,202. In the year 2000 it hen again surged to 8,009,185.

For districts, Manhattan was the major administration as compared to other four districts in terms of population. However, population ratio in this city declined over the centuries which were 76%, 54%, 19% respectively. Furthermore, for remaining cities, they showed reverse trend as compared to Manhattan. People in all these districts increased. In 1800, thre were only 18,701 people lived here. Then it became 46% in 1900 and after a 100 years it reaced to 80% which was the highest amog the same period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the data, including the overall growth of the city and the shifting population proportions between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the description of the 'remaining cities' (districts) is confusingly grouped, and the specific data points for the other districts are not clearly delineated. While the key trends are identified, the report lacks a more detailed comparison between the specific growth rates of the individual districts, which would have provided a more comprehensive summary of the provided tables.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'Furthermore', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the referencing in the final paragraph—specifically the grouping of the other districts—is slightly ambiguous, which hinders the flow of information. Overall, the structure is sufficient to guide the reader through the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive terms like 'surged', 'variations', and 'proportion'. However, there are several spelling errors ('Overll', 'significntly', 'thre', 'reaced', 'amog') and some awkward phrasing, such as 'major administration' to describe a district. While the range is sufficient to convey the main points, the frequent spelling inaccuracies and occasional imprecise word choices prevent the response from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'where as other districts population surged' (missing possessive) and 'people lived here' (incorrect verb tense/structure). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after commas (e.g., '1800,1900'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to demonstrate a lack of control over more complex structures.

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

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