Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-15

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 shows the population increase from 1800 to 2000 in New York City, while the second and third tables give information show variation in the population living in the major districts of the city.

Overall, the population of the city increased dramatically in the given period, as for the percentage of the population living in different districts of the city; a great proportion of the of the population lived in Manhatten before 20th century. Then a dramatic decrease of population can be seen in the year 2000 in Manhatten simultaneous to an increase in population of other districts of the city.

Population of the city jumped from 79,219 to 3,437,202 from 1800 to 1900 and 2,009,185 in 200 years, from 1900 to 2000.

In the year 1800, 76% of the population lived in Manhatten district, while the remainig 24% were residents of other district. That proportion decreased from 76% to 54% in the year 1900, and further dropped to 19% in the year 2000. Consequently, the population of other districts increased gradually in the shown period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: New York’s population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. The percentages for all three years are reported accurately, and the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts is relevant. However, the city total for 2000 is seriously misreported as 2,009,185 rather than 8,009,185, and the 1800 figure is slightly inaccurate. The account also says the population of the other districts increased “gradually” without giving their actual population figures, and it does not clearly report that Manhattan’s population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 in 2000. Check key totals carefully and develop the comparisons with selected figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs presenting the city total and district shares. This gives the reader a coherent general route through the information. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “while,” and “Consequently” help connect the main points. However, some connections are unclear or mechanical. In the overview, “as for the percentage…” does not form a clear parallel with the preceding idea, and “Then” suggests a sequence that is not fully explained. The final paragraph moves from Manhattan’s percentages to the other districts’ population without clearly distinguishing share from population. Organise the details by measure or year, and use explicit references to clarify which population or percentage each sentence describes.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “dramatically,” “proportion,” “decreased,” and “residents,” and the meaning is generally understandable. Some less common choices are attempted, but several are inaccurate or awkward: “population increase” is less precise than “population growth,” “jumped” is informal for a data summary, and “variation” does not clearly describe the changes shown. There are also spelling errors in “Manhatten” and “remainig,” plus the phrase “a great proportion of the of the population” contains an unnecessary repetition. Choose precise, neutral reporting language and proofread spelling and repeated words. More accurate vocabulary would make the comparisons sound clearer and more appropriately academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a subordinate clause in “while the remaining 24% were residents…” and a comparison using “from 76% to 54%.” The main ideas can usually be followed, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions remain. For example, “the second and third tables give information show variation” combines two verb patterns; use “give information about changes” instead. In “as for the percentage…; a great proportion…,” the clause connection is faulty, and “a dramatic decrease of population can be seen… simultaneous to” needs a clearer grammatical structure. The sentence reporting the city totals also has an unclear time comparison. Practise building complete clauses and checking verb forms, articles, and punctuation, while retaining the range of sentence structures you already attempt.

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