Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-17

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 change in population of the whole new york over a period of 200 years ( from 1800 to 2000 ). The other two tables show changes in population in Manhattan individually and Brooklyn , Bronx and Staten Island collectively over the same time period.

Overall, the table clearly shows that from 1800 the population of New York has increased rapidly. However, in Manhattan the population increased immensly in the first 100 years. Later from 1900 to 2000 a decrease in the population was seen. This is not the case with the other 4 districts as a continuous increase in population was seen through out the time period.

Surprisingly, 76% of the total population of New York was situated in Manhattan in 1800s. Although the population of Manhattan increased overall the percentage of total population of New York living in Manhattan fell to 54%. Later, not only the total population in Manhattan decreased by approximately 300 thousand but also as a percentage of the total population of New York the population in Manhattan desreased to 19%.

In the other districts combined, unlike the case with Manhattan the population increased by 1.5 million in the first 100 years and then a drastic increase of 4.9 million roughly was experienced. 24% of the total population was living in these states in 1800 and after two years 81% of the total population was seen living in these states rather than in Manhattan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main trends accurately: New York’s total population rose, Manhattan grew to 1900 and then declined, and the other districts continued to expand. The overview also highlights the changing population shares, which is central to the tables. Several figures support your account, including Manhattan’s fall from 54% to 19% and the other districts’ rise to 81%. However, some details are imprecise or unclear: “after two years” should refer to 2000, and “these states” is not an accurate description of the districts. The comparison of the other districts’ growth is useful, but the response could report the total population figures or make the scale of the overall increase clearer. Some features are therefore covered more fully than others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate discussion of Manhattan and the other districts. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information, and contrasts such as “However” and “unlike the case with Manhattan” help connect comparisons. At times, though, cohesion is mechanical or the reference is unclear. For example, “these states” does not clearly refer to the four other districts, while “after two years” disrupts the timeline. The long final paragraph also combines several figures and comparisons without a clear progression. Use more precise references and organise each body paragraph around a clear time-based comparison to make the links between ideas smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing change, including “increased,” “decrease,” “percentage,” and “drastic increase.” These choices make the main trends understandable, and some variation avoids relying on a single verb. However, several word choices are inaccurate or informal for this task: “these states” mislabels the districts, and “surprisingly” adds an unsupported reaction. There are also spelling errors in “immensly,” “desreased,” and “through out,” which reduce accuracy. Some phrases, such as “the population ... was situated in Manhattan,” are awkward when describing where people lived. Aim for precise terms such as “accounted for” or “resided in,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex forms, including the contrast in “Although the population of Manhattan increased overall...” and the paired structure “not only ... but also.” Most of the meaning remains clear, but some grammatical and punctuation errors are present. For example, “from 1800 the population ... has increased” uses an unsuitable tense for a period ending in 2000; “in 1800s” needs an article or a different time expression; and “after two years” does not express the intended date. Commas and spacing around punctuation are also inconsistent, and some sentences are long enough to make the relationships between clauses harder to follow. Use past simple consistently for the completed historical period and proofread sentence boundaries and punctuation.

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.