Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-14
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 changes in the number of residents in New York City from 1800 to 2000, and the other two tables show changes in the population of five districts of this region over the same time period.
Overall, the population of New York City gradually increased from 1800 to 2000. In Manhattan, the population as a percentage decreased over each century, whereas the population of the other four districts doubled from 1800 to 2000.
The total population of New York rose each century: in 1800, the total population was 79,216, whereas in 1900, it increased to 3,437,202, and after a century, it experienced a massive increase to 8,009,185. The Manhattan population in 1800 was only 60,515. Then, in 1900, it increased to 1,850,093, whereas it declined in 2000, when its percentage of the total population was only 19%. In the other four districts, it increased from 24% to 46%; by contrast, it also almost doubled over the next hundred years to 81%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the tables, including the overall population growth and the specific trends in Manhattan and the other four districts. An overview is present, highlighting the general upward population trend alongside contrasting trends between Manhattan and the other districts. Data is adequately selected and quoted to support the description, such as total figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000. However, some comparisons could be further expanded to fully exploit all the data provided across the multiple tables, which keeps the response at a Band 6.5 to 7.0 level. Overall, the content is accurate and relevant to the prompt instructions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response exhibits a clear overall arrangement with a logical progression from an introductory paraphrase to an overview paragraph, followed by detailed body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the summary of general trends from the specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'whereas', and 'by contrast' are employed to link ideas effectively, though referencing and transition management occasionally feel slightly repetitive or mechanical. Nevertheless, the logical sequence is maintained throughout, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the comparison of data across the centuries.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'residents', 'gradually increased', 'percentage', and 'declined'. There are successful attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'massive increase', though some collocations and word choices are slightly imprecise or repetitive (e.g., repeating 'increased' and 'population' multiple times). Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. This performance aligns well with the Band 6.0 descriptors for lexical resource.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a satisfactory mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating clauses introduced by 'whereas' and 'when'. While there are several error-free sentences, some grammatical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings appear, such as 'the population as a percentage decreased over each century' and 'in the other four districts, it increased from 24% to 46%; by contrast, it also almost doubled'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect a lack of consistent control over more complex structures. Punctuation is generally functional.
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