Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-18
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 three tables delineate fluctuations in the total population of New York City, across its five districts, over the period of 3 centuries.
Overall, the population of New York City rose significantly, starting from around 1 lac and reaching almost 8 million, by the end of the period. Meanwhile, Manhattan had been the most populated district in the beginning. However, its total percentage dropped by the rest of the period.
In 1800, New York City began the century with 79,216 people. This figure surged noticeably, climbing to almost 3.5 million in 18th century, before it peaked at 8 million in 19th century. Manhattan was the leading district in population by 18th century, accounting for 60k individuals at the start, before it increased to 1.8 million in 1800. Conversely, its population decreased to 1.5 million in 19th century. In addition, its proportion from the total fell significantly during this period, starting at 76% and finishing at 19%.
Regarding the other four districts, they started with less than 20k individuals, then this figure experienced a substantial growth, reaching 1.5 million in 18th century, and peaking at 6.4 million combined in 19th century. Turning to their proportion in total, it climbed from 24% to 81%, by the end of the period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student covers the main features of the data well, providing a clear overview and reporting key figures such as the total population growth and the shifting proportions of Manhattan versus the other districts. However, there are significant factual and chronological confusions throughout the text that prevent a higher score. For example, the student states that the population reached 3.5 million in the '18th century' and peaked at 8 million in the '19th century', whereas the table clearly shows these milestones occurring in the years 1900 and 2000 (which belong to the 20th and 21st centuries, or at least the 20th century). Additionally, the historical data for Manhattan in 1800 is misreported as 60k individuals increasing to 1.8 million in 1800, which is contradictory and inaccurate based on the prompt. Despite these confusions, the overall trends are addressed, earning a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response has a clear overall structure, beginning with a brief introduction and an overview paragraph, followed by two body paragraphs detailing the specific data. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Meanwhile', 'In 1800', 'Conversely', and 'Regarding the other four districts' are used effectively to guide the reader through the information and link the paragraphs logically. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in presenting the overview or the specific figures. Referencing is mostly clear, though some chronological confusion slightly disrupts the logical flow. Overall, the essay demonstrates a coherent arrangement and satisfies the requirements for Band 7.0 in this category.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'delineate', 'fluctuations', 'surged', 'proportion', and 'substantive growth'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward expressions, such as using '1 lac' (which is an informal or regionalism unsuited to Academic IELTS) and misusing century designations as noted in task achievement. Less common items are attempted with mixed success, and occasional errors in word choice occur, such as 'proportion from the total' instead of 'proportion of the total'. Because the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas despite these limitations, a Band 6.0 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases effectively (e.g., 'Regarding the other four districts, they started with less than 20k individuals...'). There is a good attempt at varied structures, but several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings persist, such as 'dropped by the rest of the period' and 'its proportion from the total fell significantly'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors occur, they rarely impede overall communication. The control of grammar aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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