Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-07

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 provides the information of overall population of New York City between 1800 and 2000, whilw the second and third tables illustrate the differences in the population of manhattan and other districts throughout the same period.

Overall, it is clear that the New York City population increased throughout the period. In manhattan, the proportion of total population declined sharply, while other districts population rose significantly throughout the same peiod. The five districts had the lowest number of proportion of total population by 1800.

In New York City, the total population increased from 79216 in 1800 to [redacted phone] in 1900 before reaching a peak, at [redacted phone] in 2000.

Turning to the five districts, the percentage of total population for Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island rose from 24% in 1800 to 46% in 1900 before increasing sharply at, 81% in 2000. In contrast, the number of proportion of total population was 76% in 1800. Subsequently, the population reached peak, at [redacted phone](54%) in 1900 before declining in 2000, at 19%. It showed that Other districts population had overtaken the Manhattan population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall trends: New York City’s population grew substantially, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts’ share rose. The figures you give for 1800, 1900 and 2000 are generally accurate, and the comparison that the other districts overtook Manhattan is relevant. This covers the key features, but some points are unclear or imprecise. For example, “reaching a peak” in 2000 suggests the data establish a peak, although they show only the final recorded figure. The statement that the five districts had the “lowest number of proportion” in 1800 is also confusing and does not identify a meaningful comparison. To strengthen the report, describe Manhattan’s population itself as rising to 1,850,093 in 1900 and then falling to 1,538,096, while distinguishing this from its declining share.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear four-paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to the city total and then the district comparison. Sequencing is generally easy to follow, and transitions such as “Overall,” “Turning to,” and “In contrast” help signal relationships. However, cohesion is not always precise: “the five districts” is used where you mean the four districts other than Manhattan, and “the number of proportion” makes the reference difficult to follow. The final sentence, “It showed that…,” has an unclear pronoun reference. Some linking is also mechanical, with repeated “before” and “subsequently.” Use explicit labels such as “Manhattan’s share” and “the combined population of the other four districts” to make comparisons and references clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “overall population,” “proportion,” “declined sharply,” and “overtaken,” so the reader can understand the main comparisons. There is some range in the language used to describe change, but several collocation and word-choice problems reduce precision. “Provides the information of” is less natural than “shows,” while “the number of proportion” combines incompatible terms. “Reached a peak” is also not the best description of a population that rose and then fell; “peaked” would be more concise. Spelling slips such as “whilw” and “peiod,” along with inconsistent capitalisation of “Manhattan,” are noticeable. Aim for accurate, conventional chart-reporting phrases and check spelling and proper nouns carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including a contrast clause beginning “while” and a sequence using “before.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in sentence construction and grammatical patterns remain noticeable. For example, “other districts population rose” needs a possessive form, and “the population reached peak” requires an article or a different construction. In “before increasing sharply at, 81%,” the punctuation interrupts the grammatical structure; “before rising sharply to 81%” is clearer. The sentence beginning “In contrast, the number of proportion…” is also structurally difficult to interpret. Build accuracy by checking articles, possessives, and the grammatical pattern for change verbs, especially “rise to,” “fall to,” and “account for.”

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