Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-07
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)
This chart illustrates the differences in population across New York City and its five districts from the year 1800 to 2000.
Overall, it is evident that while the total population of New York increased rapidly. Manhattan district had seen a steady decline over the years. Whereas, the other districts collectively had a significant rise in their population.
We can see that in the year 1800 the city had a population of 79,216 people. Out of which 76% belonged to Manhattan and the rest 24% lived in other districts such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island. Moreover, in 1900s the city was occupied with 3,437,202 people, from which 54% were from Manhattan and the rest were from the other 5 districts.
It is also clear that when the population of New York rose to 8,009,185 in the year 2000, few people from Manhattan had migrated to other cities. Hence there was a massive decline in population. Furthermore, the other districts had a population of 6,471,089 which constituted to 81%. Manhattan contributed 19% to the overall population of New York City.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the data, identifying the overall growth of the city and the shifting proportions of the districts. However, there are inaccuracies in the interpretation of the data. For instance, you state that Manhattan saw a 'massive decline' in population, but the data shows the population of Manhattan actually increased from 60,515 in 1800 to 1,537,195 in 2000. You have confused a decline in percentage share with a decline in absolute numbers. Additionally, the claim that people migrated to other cities is an assumption not supported by the provided tables. A more precise analysis of the figures would improve the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Whereas', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by the factual inaccuracies mentioned in the task achievement section. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear attempt to structure the information chronologically and by category. To improve, ensure that transitions between sentences reflect the actual relationships between the data points.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'illustrates', 'collectively', 'constituted', and 'migrated' used correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'city was occupied with' (should be 'had a population of') and 'contributed 19% to the overall population'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Expanding your range of reporting verbs and descriptive adjectives would enhance the quality of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as sentence fragments ('Whereas, the other districts collectively had a significant rise in their population.') and punctuation issues. The phrase 'Out of which 76% belonged to Manhattan and the rest 24% lived in other districts' is grammatically awkward. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on sentence boundaries and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.