Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-01

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 compares the changes of residents of New York, residents of New York City and its five districts between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, the population of New York City increased significantly. The population of Manhattan was the largest at the beginning. The other four districts' population increased noticeably from 1800 to 2000.

Regarding New York City, the number of people was 79,216 in 1800, increased to 3,437,202 and 8,280,918 in 1900 and 2000 respectively.

Subsequently, in Manhattan, the population was 60,515, recorded as the largest in 1800 of the total population. There was a sudden rise in 1900 in population up to 1,850,093, accounting for 54% of the total population of New York City. There was a marginal fall in population to 1,538,096, representing the lowest population at 19% of the total citizenry of New York City.

In terms of other districts, including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, the number of people was only 18,701, just under a quarter of the total population of New York City. In 1900, there was a considerable disparity in population, rising to 1,587,109, a figure of 46% of the total population of New York City. In 2000, there was a dramatic increase in the population of these districts, reaching up to 6,471,089 people and constituting the largest proportion at 81%, over one third of the total population of New York City.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response 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, and relevant comparisons are made, such as contrasting Manhattan's initial dominance with the growth of other districts. However, some parts are more fully developed than others, and a few data points contain minor inaccuracies, such as misreporting the 2000 total population as 8,280,918 instead of the provided figure of 8,009,185. Additionally, the concluding sentence contains a slight logical contradiction by stating that 81% is 'over one third'. To reach a higher level, the response needs to maintain greater precision in data transcription and provide a more fully developed, consistent analysis throughout all sections.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and separate body paragraphs dedicated to the city total, Manhattan, and the other districts respectively. Information and ideas are logically sequenced, guiding the reader through the historical progression from 1800 to 2000. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Regarding New York City', 'Subsequently', and 'In terms of other districts', though referencing and transitions can occasionally feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct themes. To achieve a higher score, the logical flow between sentences and paragraphs must become more seamless and natural, reducing any reliance on formulaic transitional phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to successfully communicate information about population trends, percentages, and proportions. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary and appropriate descriptive phrases, such as 'significant increase', 'sudden rise', 'marginal fall', and 'considerable disparity'. However, occasional inaccuracies in word choice occur, and the phrasing at the very end ('constituting the largest proportion at 81%, over one third') demonstrates a lapse in lexical precision. To move to a higher band, the writer should employ a wider range of sophisticated, less common lexical items with consistently accurate control over collocation and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases effectively. There is a reasonable command of past tense verbs and numerical data structures. However, some errors in grammar and punctuation are present, such as the awkward coordination in the opening sentence ('changes of residents of New York, residents of New York City and its five districts') and minor structural slips in listing population figures. These errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear throughout. To attain a higher score, the writer must produce a greater frequency of error-free sentences using a wider variety of complex grammatical structures.

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