Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-30

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 highlights the time periods - 1800, 1900 and 2000 alongisde the number of the population during those years. The population in New York city in the year 1800 has been reported to be 79,216, However, that amount had a drastic increase in the year 1900 and was reported to be 3,437,202. Further ahead, the amount took a leap once more and the population remains 8,009,185 in the year 2000.

The next table portrays the number and percentage of population in Manhattan, and therefore, in the final table the same two categories are shown for 4 other districts - Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island. Both the tables only show the record for the hears - 1800, 1900 and 2000. It is displayed that the population and it's ratio in Manhattan was quite high, in the year 1800, compared to the 4 other districts combined.

Although, as the centuries passed, the other districts took over the ratio and had a number of 6,471,089 with the ratio of 81% of the total population in the year 2000. Whereas, Manhattan was reported to have only about 19% of the total populatiuon with 1,538,096.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the visual data well, successfully reporting the total population figures for New York City across the three years and comparing Manhattan to the other combined districts. The student notes the significant growth from 1800 to 2000 and highlights the shift in population percentages between Manhattan and the other four districts. However, the overview could be more explicitly stated as a single concluding summary rather than being slightly fragmented across paragraphs, and minor data points (such as the exact numbers for 1900) are omitted, though this is acceptable. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0; here, the clear reporting of trends aligns well with Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression from the total city population to the breakdown of districts. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction of the first table, the transition to the second and third tables, and the final comparative analysis. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Although', 'Whereas', and 'Further ahead', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or awkward (e.g., 'and therefore, in the final table'). Referencing is mostly clear, though punctuation around conjunctions and commas occasionally disrupts the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, incorporating terms such as 'population', 'drastic increase', 'percentage', and 'ratio'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary ('portrays', 'combined'), but some lexical choices are imprecise, such as using 'ratio' interchangeably with 'percentage'. Minor errors in word formation and spelling are present, such as 'alongisde' and 'populatiuon', but these do not impede overall communication. The range is sufficient for a Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'although' and 'whereas'. However, there are several grammatical errors and punctuation flaws, such as comma splices and misuse of apostrophes ('population and it's ratio', 'record for the hears'). Furthermore, some sentences are slightly clunky or run-on (e.g., 'The population in New York city in the year 1800 has been reported to be 79,216, However, that amount...'). These errors occur regularly but do not impede the overall communication of the data, placing the performance securely in Band 6.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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