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 illustrates the total ppulation change in New York City frm 1800 to 2000. The remaining tables present the population change in five districts, namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, over the same period.

Overall, it can be seen that the total population increased throughout the period, whereas Manhattan experienced the significant decline and the population in the remaining districts encountered the steady increase.

In 1800, the total population of New York City recorded 79,216 people, with 76% share of total contributed by Manhattan, which was exactly 1,850,093 and 18,701 by all other districts.

In 1900, Manhattan still comprised the highest population of 1,850,093 (54%), whereas other districts contributed the remaining of 3,437,202.

In 2000, the total population of all districts accounted for 8,009,185 residents, with approximately 19% inhabitants lived in Manhattan. The population of the remaining districts increased almost three-fold of the population of Manhattan, comprising 6,471,089 residents .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by summarising the main features of the population changes in New York City and its five districts from 1800 to 2000. An overview is provided, highlighting the general upward trend in total population alongside Manhattan's contrasting decline in population share. Key data points are selected and compared, such as the 1800 figures and the 2000 breakdown. However, there are notable data inconsistencies in the body paragraphs; for example, the text states that in 1800 Manhattan had '76% share of total contributed by Manhattan, which was exactly 1,850,093', whereas 1,850,093 was actually the Manhattan population in 1900. These data misreadings limit the precision of the response, placing it at a Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is arranged logically with an introduction, an overall summary paragraph, and chronological body paragraphs covering 1800, 1900, and 2000 respectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different time periods. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall, it can be seen that', 'In 1800', and 'In 2000'. However, some referencing and cohesive links are slightly mechanical or faulty, as seen in the phrasing 'with 76% share of total contributed by Manhattan, which was exactly 1,850,093 and 18,701 by all other districts', which disrupts the smooth flow of information. Overall progression is coherent, but referencing errors prevent a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, employing terms such as 'illustrates', 'experience', 'encountered', 'comprised', and 'residents'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'proportion' or comparative structures, but spelling and word choice errors are present, most notably 'ppulation' in the opening sentence. Additionally, phrases like 'the significant decline' and 'the steady increase' show awkward usage of articles given the specific context. Vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, but frequent minor inaccuracies keep the score at Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilising relative clauses ('which was exactly...') and participial phrases ('comprising 6,471,089 residents'). There is good control over basic structures, and meaning is generally clear despite grammatical flaws. However, several errors occur, including a tense and agreement slip in 'the total population of New York City recorded 79,216 people' (should be 'was recorded' or 'stood at'), missing articles, and awkward prepositional phrases. Complex structures often contain minor errors or clumsy phrasing, which aligns the response with the Band 6 descriptors.

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