Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-16

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 display changes in the New York City population, both in whole city and divide to two categories, i.e. population of Manhattan and four remaining districts in 1800, 1900 and 2000.

Overall, the total population of New York City drasticlly rose between 1800 and 2000. The proportion of people living on Manhattan decreased and proportion of people from other districts rose significantly from 1800 to 2000.

In 1800, the total number of NYC habitants was equal to 79,216 and rose significantly in the next hundred years to reach 3,437,202. Between 1900 and 2000 the total number of habitans rose by almost two and a half time to reach its peak at 8,009,185.

Numer of people living on Manhattan dramaticlly rose between 1800 and 1900 from 60,515 to 1,850,093, before dropping to 1,538,096 in 2000. At the respective period, Manhattan citizens stated for: 76%, 54% and 19% of total NYC population. Population in other NYC districts rose faster than population of Manhattan. Starting at 18,701 in 1800 as 24% of total population, by 1,587,109 and 46% in 1900, to reach its peak in 2000 at 6,471,089

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response selects the main trends and supports them with accurate figures: the city’s population rose from 79,216 to 8,009,185, while Manhattan’s share fell from 76% to 19% and the other districts’ share increased. The overview clearly identifies these contrasting changes, and the account notes Manhattan’s rise to 1900 followed by a decline. This covers the key comparisons and is well grounded in the tables. To make the report more complete, state explicitly that the other districts’ population continued to grow sharply through 2000, and clarify that Manhattan’s absolute population in 2000 remained far above its 1800 level despite the decline from 1900. The final sentence also gives the 2000 figure but omits the corresponding 81% share.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear four-paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs presenting the figures. Its progression from the citywide trend to Manhattan and the other districts is logical, and time markers such as “In 1800,” “Between 1900 and 2000,” and “before” help readers follow the changes. Some cohesion is less controlled, however. The final sentence beginning “Starting at 18,701” is a fragment, and its sequence of figures is difficult to process because the 2000 percentage is not included. The phrase “At the respective period” also does not clearly connect the percentages to the years. Use complete sentences and make each comparison’s time reference explicit to strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “proportion,” “decreased,” “rose significantly,” and “dropping,” and it varies some expressions rather than relying entirely on “increase.” However, several inaccurate or unnatural choices limit precision: “habitant” and “habitans” are unsuitable here, “citizens stated for” does not express the intended meaning, and “rose by almost two and a half time” is an awkward collocation. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “drasticlly,” “dramaticlly,” and “Numer.” Aim for standard population-reporting terms and check spelling carefully. For example, use “residents,” “accounted for,” and “increased to almost two and a half times its 1900 level” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a range of sentence forms, including a relative clause in “districts … in 1800, 1900 and 2000” and a contrastive structure with “before dropping.” Most of the data remains understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. The introduction’s “both in whole city and divide to two categories” has faulty structure, while “the proportion … decreased and proportion … rose” omits an article before the second noun phrase. “Population in other NYC districts rose faster than population of Manhattan” also needs clearer article use, and the final “Starting at …, by …, to reach …” construction is not a complete sentence. Practise building complete comparisons with consistent subjects and verb forms, and check articles and sentence boundaries.

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