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 tables present the data of the alterations in the population of New York City among its other five districts. The data was taken in the year 1800 to 2000.

Overall, it can be seen that the other four districts has continously increase throughout the 20-year period while there is a reduction in Manhattan's population at the end of the study.

In detail, the other districts has clearly rose constantly from about a fourth in 1800 to 46% in 1900 then peaking at 81% in 2000 out of the total population in New York City. In comparison, it is notable that there is about twice an increase in the population size after every ten-year period.

On the other hand, Manhattan started off with the highest percentage of settlers among all the districts at 76% in 1800, then moderately reduce at about a tenth from the former in 1900, and a sharp reduction in 2000 was observed at 19%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast: the combined share of the other districts rises while Manhattan’s share falls, and you include the key percentages for all three years. This gives the response a relevant overview and supporting detail. However, some information is incomplete or unclear. The task gives the population totals as well as percentages, but your account focuses almost entirely on shares; the claim that the other districts’ population increased “about twice” after each period is not supported by the figures, since their population rose from 18,701 to 1,587,109 and then to 6,471,089. Also, the overview says “four districts,” although the table groups the other districts together. Report the overall city growth and use accurate comparisons to develop the summary more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear four-part structure: introduction, overview, details about the other districts, and a contrasting paragraph about Manhattan. Linking phrases such as “Overall,” “In detail,” and “On the other hand” help readers follow the comparison, and the information is generally presented in a sensible order. Some cohesion is less effective because the reference in “the other four districts” does not match the table’s grouping of four districts alongside Manhattan, and “after every ten-year period” is unclear in a summary covering three observations a century apart. The paragraph about the other districts also shifts from percentages to population size without clearly distinguishing the measures. Make these references precise and connect each comparison explicitly to the relevant figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “population,” “percentage,” “in comparison,” “started off,” and “sharp reduction.” These choices make the main trends understandable, and you attempt more descriptive language than simple repetition. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “data of the alterations” is awkward for describing table information, “settlers” does not mean residents in this context, and “peaking” is not quite suitable for a share that reaches its highest recorded value. “Moderately reduce” also does not express the change naturally. Aim for precise, conventional language for describing statistics, and avoid adding a sense of continuous movement when the tables show only three points in time.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrastive overview and clauses introduced by “while” and “then.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “the other four districts has” needs subject–verb agreement, and “has continously increase” requires a past-tense form such as “increased.” In “Manhattan … moderately reduce,” the verb form is also incorrect; the sentence needs a past-tense verb. The opening sentence’s “from the year 1800 to 2000” would be more grammatically complete as “from 1800 to 2000.” Review agreement and past-tense forms, especially when describing historical data, while continuing to vary sentence structures.

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