Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-12
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 shows the data about the changes in the total population of New York City from the year [redacted phone] whereas second and third tables illustrate the changes in the population of the five districts of the city over the same time period.
At the fleeting glance over the given details, the least count of population was recorded in 1800 at 79,216 followed by 3,437,202 in 1900 and finally reaching at the highest count of 8,009,185 by 2000 in all five districts. In addition, the year 1900 has the vast population which accounted 1,850,093 with more than half percentage of the total population whereas only 60,515 of people occupied Manhattan in 1800 as 76% of the total population.
Delving deeper into the remaining details, the other four districts constituted only 18,701 population in 1800 which was significantly lower than Manhattan in the same year. However, the dramatic increase in the population was observed in 2000 in these four districts accounting 81% of the total population.
Overall, it is clear that the population of New York City has been developing upto great extent within the three decades of given time period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the total population and the five districts from 1800 to 2000. Key data points, such as the initial population of 79,216 and the final peak of 8,009,185, are correctly highlighted. However, there are some data inaccuracies and confusion in the percentages mentioned in the text (e.g., stating Manhattan accounted for 76% of the total in 1800 and 81% for the other districts in 2000, which misinterprets the provided tables). Because of these inaccurate calculations and data reports, the task response is partially flawed, placing it at a Band 6.0 level according to the descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organized into four paragraphs, following a logical essay structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and an overview. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the data, such as 'At the fleeting glance', 'In addition', and 'Delving deeper into the remaining details'. However, some of these transitions feel slightly unnatural or awkward (e.g., 'At the fleeting glance over the given details'). Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear overarching progression from total population to district-specific breakdowns, supporting a Band 6.0 score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student attempts a range of vocabulary appropriate for an Academic Task 1 response, using terms like 'constituted', 'significantly lower', and 'dramatic increase'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'least count of population', 'vast population', and 'developing upto great extent'. These errors do not completely impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score to Band 5.5 because the word choices and collocations demonstrate limitations in precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the introductory relative clause ('whereas second and third tables illustrate...'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, including missing articles ('whereas second and third tables'), preposition errors ('reaching at the highest count', 'accounted 1,850,093' without 'for'), and tense inconsistencies. These errors occur frequently enough to cause minor strain for the reader, fitting the Band 5.5 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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