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 presents how the total population of New York City changed from 1800 to 2000. The second and third tables show the population change across five districts of the city over the same period.

Overall, the total population of New York City has increased from the comparably small population recorded in year 1800. The district of Manhattan has seen a fluctuation in population as a percentage of total population, while the other districts have seen a resurgence after 1900.

In 1800, the total population of New York with the inclusion of all five districts was 79,216. The district of Manhattan held the majority of the population at 76% with 60,515 people living there. The other districts such as Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens and Staten Island accounted for the remaining 24%, as 18,701 people were recorded. In 1900, the total population of New York City was 3,427,202 and 100 years later it was 8,009,185.

Manhattan peaked in 1900, as the majority of the total population lived there at 54% with 1,850,093 citizens, however the district was overshined by the other districts, as it fell to 19% in year 2000 with just 1,538,096 people. The other districts as a percentage of total population increased, as in 1900 it was recorded that 46% of total population lived there and in 2000, 81% of the population of New York City now lives in the other districts with a recorded number of 6,471,089 citizens.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main changes and include relevant figures for all three years, including Manhattan’s fall from 54% to 19% and the other districts’ rise to 81%. The overview also identifies the broad shift in population share away from Manhattan. This meets the task well, with some features already selected and compared effectively. However, the 1900 city total is reported as 3,427,202, whereas the table gives 3,437,202. The overview’s description of the other districts as seeing a “resurgence after 1900” is also imprecise: their population share rises after 1900, but their population had already grown substantially by that year. More precise overview wording and accurate transcription of figures would strengthen the response further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs presenting the figures. The progression from the 1800 baseline to later changes is generally easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “In 1800” and “In 1900” help orient the reader. However, the final paragraph combines several comparisons in long sentences, particularly the sentence beginning “Manhattan peaked in 1900,” which makes the contrast less controlled. Some linking is mechanical, with repeated “as” clauses, and “however” is not punctuated appropriately in that sentence. Grouping the 1900 and 2000 figures more systematically, and using clearer contrast markers, would make the relationships between the data easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a sufficient range of vocabulary for describing tables, including “accounted for,” “majority,” “peaked,” and “increased.” These choices help communicate the main comparisons, and the meaning is generally clear. Some less suitable or imprecise expressions limit the precision expected at a stronger level. “Resurgence” suggests a recovery after decline, which is not the clearest description of the other districts’ growth; “overshined” is not the appropriate form for this comparison; and “citizens” is less neutral than “residents” or “people” in a population report. There are also missing spaces in “Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens.” Aim for accurate, conventional data-reporting collocations and check spelling and spacing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses such as “as the majority of the total population lived there” and time clauses such as “100 years later.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical and punctuation errors reduce control. In “has increased from the comparably small population recorded in year 1800,” the present perfect is less appropriate for a period ending in 2000, and the article is missing before “year.” The sentence beginning “Manhattan peaked in 1900” joins contrasting clauses with “however” without suitable punctuation; use a full stop or a semicolon before “however.” Review tense consistency for completed historical data and punctuation in longer sentences.

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