Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-21

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 given tables provide data on New York City's population and changes in population of its five districts- Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island- over a period of 200 years from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the total population of New York City had increased more than hundred times from 1800 to 2000. Simultaneously, there was increase in total population of it districts, however; the population distribution varied to a great extent.

In the year 1800, Manhattan population, at 60515, was more than triple of the population at all the other districts combined. Approximately 76% of individuals lived in Manhattan, compared to 24% who lived in other four districts.

In the year 1900, there was a drastic change in population distribution. Nevertheless, there was increase in population of Manhattan from just 60,515 to a staggering 1,850,093 individuals, there was drop on the percentage of total population living in Manhattan from 76% to 54%. The percentage of total population living in other districts have almost doubled and total population of New York City went to 3,437,202 individuals.

By the year 2000, trend in population distribution had completely reversed. There was decrease in population of Manhattan and only 19% of total population lived there. However, population of other districts had increased to 6,471,089 individuals, around 81% of population lived there. The total population of New York City went to as high as 8,009,185 individuals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting on the main features of New York City's overall population growth alongside the shifts in the five districts between 1800 and 2000. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, highlighting the massive overall growth and the changing distribution patterns. Key data points are correctly cited, such as the total population figures (79,216 to 8,009,185) and the major swing in population concentration from Manhattan (76% in 1800 to 19% in 2000) to the other four districts (24% to 81%). The comparisons between Manhattan and the rest of the city are made accurately and are fully grounded in the provided visual data, satisfying the requirements for a Band 7 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response presents a clear overall progression, moving logically from an introduction and overview to specific body paragraphs dealing with 1800, 1900, and 2000 chronologically. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate each time period. Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, such as 'Overall', 'Simultaneously', 'In the year 1800', 'In the year 1900', 'Nevertheless', and 'By the year 2000'. However, some cohesive phrases contain minor mechanical slips or awkward punctuation, such as 'however; the population' with an incorrect semicolon placement, and 'there was increase in population of Manhattan from just 60,515 to a staggering 1,850,093 individuals, there was drop on the percentage' which creates a comma splice. Overall organisation remains clear and logical throughout, meeting the criteria for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suited for an academic task, using terms such as 'population distribution', 'staggering', 'drastic change', and 'reversed'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with general success, though there are minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, the student writes 'there was increase in total population of it districts' (grammatical slip combined with a possessive pronoun error 'it' instead of 'its'), and 'there was drop on the percentage' (missing article 'a' and preposition error 'on' instead of 'in'). Despite these occasional lexical and grammatical slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with reasonable precision, fitting a Band 6.5 or solid Band 7, rounded to 6.5 due to minor prepositional inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response incorporates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses, comparative structures, and introductory adverbial clauses (e.g., 'By the year 2000, trend in population distribution had completely reversed'). There are, however, several grammatical inaccuracies and missing articles throughout the text. Examples include 'total population of New York City had increased', 'Manhattan population, at 60515, was more than triple of the population at all the other districts', 'population of other districts had increased', and 'trend in population distribution' (missing article 'the'). A comma splice occurs in paragraph four: '...1,850,093 individuals, there was drop on...'. These errors occur with some frequency but rarely impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0.

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