Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28
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 table gives the information about the changes in the overall population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The other tables show the variations in the population of the five different districts of the city: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island through out the same time period.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that population was increased over the passing decades among all districts. Particularly in Manhattan, proportion of residents were declined by the time. Meanwhile, population of other four districts increased substantially.
Turning to details, in 1800, population splitted and it was 76% in Manhattan and 24% in other districts. Moreover, in 1900, population divided almost equally in Manhattan and other four districts of city 54% and 46% respectively. Furthermore, in 2000, population partitioned about 19% and 81% in Manhattan and other four districts: Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens, Sataen Island over the same time span.
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 response covers the main features of the data well, noting the overall population growth and the striking shift in population share between Manhattan and the other districts from 1800 to 2000. Key figures such as the 1800, 1900, and 2000 percentages are reported correctly and compared effectively. An overview is present, accurately capturing the central trends of the data. However, the word count is 145 words, which falls slightly short of the minimum 150-word requirement. This under-length impacts the Task Achievement score, as the task has not been fully completed in terms of length.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph detailing the specific figures. Progression is clear, moving from general trends to specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Turning to details', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' are used to structure the text, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and referencing is mostly clear throughout the response, ensuring the reader can easily follow the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with appropriate attempts at less common items such as 'substantially', 'proportion', and 'partitioned'. However, there are some inaccurate word choices and awkward collocations, such as 'population splitted' (should be 'split') and 'population was increased' (passive voice is unnecessary and unnatural here). Spelling is generally correct, but minor lexical errors prevent the response from achieving a higher band. A wider variety of precise reporting verbs and adjectives would enhance the lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as introductory subordinate clauses and coordinate clauses. However, control over grammar is inconsistent. There are notable errors in voice and verb forms, such as 'population was increased' and 'population splitted' (where the past tense of split is split, not splitted). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical inaccuracies occur with sufficient frequency to prevent the response from reaching Band 7. The majority of simpler sentences are clear, but complex constructions show persistent errors.
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