Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-15
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)
These tables provide data about the number of citizens of New York City and compare the population of Manhattan with that of the other districts as a whole between 1800 and 2000. Overall, the population of New York had an upward trend. The contribution of Manhattan to the total population seems to decrease gradually over the period, whereas the percentage of the other districts went up significantly with the rise of their population.
In total, the number of New Yorkers rose steeply from 79,216 to about 8 million over two centuries. This was due to the big increase in the population of Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island, from 60,515 in 1800 to about 1.5 million in 2000. However, the number of citizens in Manhattan fluctuated, reaching a peak of 1,850,093 people in 1900.
The biggest percentage of the total population of New York in 1800 was 76% in Manhattan, compared to only 24% for all other districts combined. Yet the proportion of Manhattan's population kept falling until it reached a low of 19%, because the other 81% of the population lived in either Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens or Staten Island.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| 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 population changes in New York City and its districts between 1800 and 2000. An overview is provided in the first paragraph, noting the overall upward trend and the shifting proportion of Manhattan versus the other districts. Relevant comparisons are made throughout the text, such as contrasting Manhattan's population percentage in 1800 with that of 2000. However, there is a notable factual error in the second paragraph where the student states that the population of Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island was "60,515 in 1800 to about 1.5 million in 2000"; the table actually shows 18,701 in 1800 and 6,471,089 in 2000 (the figure 60,515 belonged to Manhattan in 1800). This misattribution of data prevents a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organised with a clear overall progression from the introduction to the overview, followed by body paragraphs detailing overall figures and proportional shifts. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as "Overall", "In total", and "However", though some transitions feel a bit standard. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the visual data, with the first paragraph serving as an introduction and overview, the second covering population numbers, and the third focusing on percentages and proportions. Referencing is mostly clear, though the minor data confusion in paragraph two creates a slight hitch in logical flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, employing words and phrases such as "upward trend", "gradually", "fluctuated", and "proportion". There are attempts to use less common vocabulary like "contribution" and "peaking". However, the misuse of data items mentioned in Task Achievement impacts precision, and there is some repetition of basic terms like "population", "citizens", and "districts". Word choices are generally natural, and spelling is accurate throughout, ensuring that communication is never impeded.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses introduced by "whereas" and "because". Control of grammar and punctuation is generally sound, with frequent error-free sentences (e.g., "The biggest percentage of the total population of New York in 1800 was 76% in Manhattan..."). Errors are very occasional and do not impede communication. Complex structures are handled with reasonable accuracy, though sentence variety could be slightly broader to reach higher band levels.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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