Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-12

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 illustrates the total population of New York over two decade from year 1800 to 2000. This population count includes all five districts of New York.

Overall,The amount of people living in New york has increased drastically. Also , people have started to settle into other districts such as Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens,Stalen Island whereas Manhattan has seen a decline in its population.

The population in New York city has increased from 80 thousand to more than 8 million now which is almost 100 times higher within two hundred years.From year 1800 to 1900 Manhatten sees a big jump in population but its popularity as a district in New york city starts to decline and in the year 2000 even the total population decreases to only 1.5 million from 1.8 million. The percentage of total population in Manhattan dramatically dips from 76 % in 1800 to only 19 % during the year 2000 . On the other hand the population in the other districts have increased significantly from 1800 to 2000 now residing almost 6.5 million,about 81 % of total New Yorkers.

In conclusion , The popularity of Manhattan sees a drastic decline over the year while other districts rise in popularity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You identify the main trends accurately: New York’s total population rose sharply, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts became home to a much larger proportion of residents. The overview is clear, and you support it with relevant figures, including Manhattan’s decline from 1.85 million in 1900 to about 1.54 million in 2000 and the other districts’ 81% share by 2000. The comparison between the city’s overall growth and the changing distribution is also relevant. To make the report more complete and precise, include the 1900 and 2000 city totals explicitly and describe the three time points more systematically. The phrase “almost 100 times higher” is a broad approximation; a more exact comparison would avoid over-generalising.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, a paragraph with supporting comparisons, and a concluding statement. The progression from the citywide increase to the contrast between Manhattan and the other districts is generally easy to follow. Linking phrases such as “On the other hand” help signal the comparison. However, the conclusion largely repeats the overview rather than adding a useful final comparison, and some transitions are awkwardly punctuated, as in “Overall,The amount” and “In conclusion , The”. The report would be more cohesive if the data were grouped consistently by period or by Manhattan versus the other districts, with cleaner links between sentences and less repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “increased drastically,” “decline,” “dips,” and “increased significantly.” These choices make the main changes understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural for a formal data report. “Popularity” is used repeatedly to mean population share, but it suggests preference rather than the number or proportion of residents. “The amount of people” is also an unsuitable collocation, and “big jump” is informal. There are spelling and capitalisation slips in names such as “Manhatten,” “Stalen Island,” and “New york.” Aim for precise terms such as “population,” “proportion,” and “accounted for,” and check proper nouns carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including the contrast introduced by “whereas” and the comparison beginning “On the other hand.” The main message remains understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “over two decade” needs a plural noun, and “the population in the other districts have increased” has a subject–verb agreement error. Tense and sentence construction are also inconsistent in “Manhatten sees a big jump” and “starts to decline,” while the long sentence beginning “From year 1800 to 1900” becomes difficult to manage. Punctuation and spacing around commas and full stops are inconsistent. Use past-tense forms consistently for the historical data and divide long comparisons into clearer sentences.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.