Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-14

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 compare changes in the population of New York city as a whole and its five districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the population of the New York City rose dramatically over the 200-year time period, whereas Manhattan was the most dominated district till 1900. The population of other districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) also significantly rose till 2000.

The population of New York City as a whole was 79,216 in 1800, whereas it significantly rose to [redacted phone] in 1900, and reached the all time high of [redacted phone] in 2000. Moreover, The Manhattan district was the most dominant in 1800 accounted for 76% of the total population. However, it declined to 54% in 1900 with the total population of 1850,093. In 2000, Manhattan became the least populated district with [redacted phone] total residents.

In contrast, the other districts, population significantly increased throughout the time period.In 2000, which were accounted for 81% of the total population with [redacted phone] residents.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall rise in New York City’s population and the changing balance between Manhattan and the other districts. The figures for the city total and Manhattan are broadly reported accurately, and the shift from Manhattan’s majority share to the other districts’ dominance is relevant. However, the overview is unclear in saying Manhattan was “the most dominated district,” and the claim that the other districts rose “till 2000” is not supported with their 1800 and 1900 figures. The final paragraph gives only the 2000 total and share, so this important trend is underdeveloped. Compare the other districts’ growth across all three years and state clearly that Manhattan’s population fell after 1900.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs covering the city total and district populations. Sequencing from the overall figures to the district comparison is generally logical, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Moreover,” and “In contrast” help signal relationships. This supports a coherent account, though some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “In contrast” introduces the other districts without clearly specifying what contrast is being made, and the final sentence begins “In 2000, which were accounted for,” leaving its reference and grammatical link incomplete. Improve progression by grouping the district figures by trend and using clear references, such as “the combined population of the four other districts.”

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “population,” “total,” “declined,” “dominant,” and “significantly increased.” These choices allow the main comparisons to be understood, and some variation avoids excessive repetition. However, several collocations or word choices are inaccurate or awkward: “the most dominated district” does not express the intended idea, and “all time high” is not a particularly suitable description of a population figure in this context. “Other districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island)” also incorrectly includes Manhattan in the group being contrasted. Aim for precise terms such as “largest share,” “combined population,” and “reached 8 million,” and check that labels consistently match the data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses linked with “whereas” and “however,” and most of the intended meaning remains understandable. Some grammatical errors occur, particularly in sentence construction and punctuation. For example, “Manhattan was the most dominated district till 1900” has an unclear structure, while “the most dominant in 1800 accounted for 76%” needs a grammatical link such as “accounting for.” The final sentence, “In 2000, which were accounted for 81%,” is incomplete and has an unclear subject–verb relationship. There are also inconsistent capitalisation after full stops and missing spaces after punctuation. Build complete sentences with an explicit subject and verb, and proofread clause links and punctuation.

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