Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-13

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 illustrates changes in the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. While, the second and third tables present changes in the population across five districts of the city in the same time period.

Overall, It can be seen that the total population of New York City is highest in 2000 while least in 1800. Meanwhile, in Manhattan district the population is highest in 1800 whereas, the population of other districts are higher in 2000.

The total population of New York City is significantly higher in 2000 around 8,009,185 while it's marginally lowest in year 1800 recorded 79,216. Whereas, the total population recorded in 1900 is in between them approximately 3,237,202.

Regarding the five districts of city, the proportion of total population is much higher in other districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, State Island) at 81% in 2000, previously had 46% of total population in 1900 and 24% in 1800. Meanwhile, in Manhattan higher percentage 76% of total population is recored in 1800, which declined gradullay in followed years. Manhattan experienced only 54% of total population in 1900 and just 19% in 2000 which is considerably the lowest percentage of population across all five districts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main contrast clearly: New York’s total population was greatest in 2000, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. The percentages for the districts are accurately reported, and the overview selects relevant trends. This meets the task well, though some details are less fully developed: the total for 1900 is given as 3,237,202, whereas the table shows 3,437,202, and the response does not report the district population figures, which could strengthen the comparisons. The statement that Manhattan’s population was highest in 1800 is also inaccurate; its population was highest in 1900, although its percentage share was highest in 1800. More precise distinction between population and percentage would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and two detail paragraphs. The information generally progresses from the citywide figures to the district shares, and linking expressions such as “Overall” and “Meanwhile” help signal relationships. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or unclear. “While” begins the introduction’s second sentence without a complete contrast, and “Whereas” similarly introduces a fragment in the third paragraph. The repeated use of “Meanwhile” and “Whereas” also makes connections feel formulaic. Some references, such as “them” in “in between them,” require the reader to infer which figures are meant. Use complete sentences and clearer links between the population totals and percentage shares.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing change and comparison, including “significantly higher,” “declined,” “proportion,” and “considerably the lowest.” These choices communicate the main trends, and the response attempts some less common terms. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “marginally lowest” for a very large difference and “experienced” when describing a population share. There are also spelling errors in “recored,” “gradullay,” and “State Island” (the district is Staten Island). Repetition of “population” and “total population” limits flexibility. More precise terms such as “accounted for,” “share,” and “rose/fell” would improve clarity and naturalness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “while” and “whereas,” and most of the intended meaning remains understandable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless recur. For example, “While, the second and third tables present” has incorrect punctuation and an incomplete contrast, while “the population of other districts are higher” has subject–verb disagreement. In “the population is highest in 2000,” the present tense is inconsistent with the historical period; use past forms throughout. The sentence beginning “Whereas, the total population recorded in 1900…” is also a fragment. Check sentence boundaries, agreement, and tense, and use subordinate clauses only when they are attached to a complete main clause.

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