Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-08

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 illustrates the data on significant changes in the net population of New York City along with five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the data table of New York city depicts that the total population of NewYork city accelerated from 1800 to 2000 along with population incline in the other four districts. Nevertheless, Manhattan population showed a decline in population from 1800 to 2000.

By compring the population changes of New York City from 1800 to 2000 with other five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) ,it is evident that population of NewYork city showed a rapid increase in population ranging from 79216 in 18th century to 8,009,185 at 20th century. The other districts( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) showed a rapid incline in the population ranging from 24 percent to 81 percent in the year 1800 to 2001.

In contrast, the Manhattan population showed a rapid decline in the total population from the year 1800 to 2000 with percentage ranging from 76 percent to 19 percent.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main broad trends: New York City’s population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ combined share rose. The overview therefore captures an important contrast, and the figures 79,216 and 8,009,185 are consistent with the table. However, some key details are incomplete or inaccurate: the other districts’ population increased from 18,701 to 6,471,089, but you report only their percentages, and you give the final year as 2001 rather than 2000. You also say the other four districts increased individually, although the table groups them together. To strengthen the response, compare the 1900 figures as well, when Manhattan still had the larger share, and report the combined population figures accurately. The main features are present, but some are underdeveloped or imprecisely expressed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs comparing the city and district populations. The contrast introduced by “Nevertheless” and “In contrast” helps signal the main relationship between Manhattan and the other districts. However, progression is somewhat repetitive: the city’s overall increase is stated in the overview and then repeated in the next paragraph, while the final paragraph restates the decline in Manhattan without adding much detail. Some references are also unclear, particularly “the other four districts,” which could suggest separate figures even though the table combines them. Organise the body around the three dates or the changing shares, and use each paragraph to add distinct comparisons. This would make the overall arrangement clearer and reduce repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “decline,” “rapid increase,” and “percentage,” and the reader can generally understand the trends you intend to describe. However, the range is limited by repeated use of “population” and “rapid,” and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing table data. “Net population” does not fit the information, while “population incline” and “accelerated” are awkward in this context. There are also spelling and form errors, such as “compring” and “NewYork,” which reduce precision. Aim for concise, conventional reporting language and vary verbs such as “rose,” “increased,” “fell,” and “accounted for.” More accurate collocations would make the comparisons sound clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrastive sentence beginning “Nevertheless” and the introductory phrase “By comparing…”. Meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. The opening should be “The tables illustrate,” because the subject is plural; “Manhattan population” also needs a possessive or article, as in “Manhattan’s population.” In “ranging from 79216 … to 8,009,185 at 20th century,” the preposition and article pattern is faulty; use “from … in 1800 to … in 2000.” Punctuation spacing is inconsistent, and the long comparison sentence is difficult to follow. Check subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries, and use a wider range of accurately controlled structures to improve clarity.

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