Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-08

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 table illustrates the fluctuation in population of five different districts of the New York City through out the time period from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the Manhattan district's contribution in total population of New York city declined steadily throughout the time priod. Conversely, there was a constant increase in the number of residents in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island districts.

The total number residents living in different districts of New York City was 79,216 in 1800, which significantly rose to 3,437,202 in 1900 and finally reached to 8,009,185 in 2000. The Manhattan district accounted for 76% of the residents in 1800 which slighty reduced to 56% in 1900 and finally saw a major fall to 19% in 2000.

In contrast, inhabitants from other 4 districts namely Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island was 24 % of the total population in 1800 which rosed dramaticaly to 46% before becoming 81% of the total citizens of the New York City.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the data well, identifying the overall growth in total population and the contrasting trends between Manhattan and the other districts. You have successfully selected key data points to support your summary. However, to reach a higher band, ensure you provide more specific comparisons between the districts rather than grouping them all together as 'other 4 districts'. While the trends are clear, a more detailed breakdown of the individual growth rates for districts like Queens or Staten Island would have provided a more comprehensive overview of the provided tables.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Conversely' and 'In contrast', to signal shifts in the data. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical, and there is a slight lack of variety in how you link sentences. Improving the flow between sentences by using more sophisticated referencing or substitution would enhance the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuation', 'contribution', and 'inhabitants'. There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'slighty' instead of 'slightly' and 'priod' instead of 'period'. Additionally, some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'contribution in total population' (should be 'to the total population'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'reached to' (should be 'reached'), 'inhabitants... was' (should be 'were'), and 'rosed dramaticaly' (should be 'rose dramatically'). These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not impede the reader's understanding of the data. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of past tense verbs.

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

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