Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-18

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 initial table depicts changes in the entire population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The middle and last tables illustrate variations in the population of the five districts of New York City over a similar time frame.

Overall, the tables show the population with detail numbers of all five districts of New York City. Despite the total number of population grew, the Manhattan district population had fall significantly.

The leading table has the population numbers of all five districts combined at 100-year intervals from 1800 to 2000, where the population was 79,216, 3,437,202 and 8,009,185 in 1800, 1900 and 2000 respectively. In 1800, the population was the lowest while it surged dramatically by 2000 and reached the highest point rising over 8 million.

The last two tables illustrate the population of the Manhattan and the other four districts respectively. In 1800, the Manhattan had the highest percentage and fell significantly by 2000 which is totally opposite in compare to other four districts. The other four districts population was little in 1800 and it soared by 2000. The percentage was 24%, 46% and 81% in 1800, 1900 and 2000 which was near doubled than the previous figure each time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main overall changes and include the total population figures for all three years, which accurately shows the city’s substantial growth. You also identify the key contrast: Manhattan’s share fell while the other districts’ share rose. However, some important details are underdeveloped or imprecise. Manhattan’s population did not simply fall throughout the period: it rose from 60,515 in 1800 to 1,850,093 in 1900, then declined to 1,538,096 in 2000. The response omits these district population figures and does not clearly report that the other districts’ combined population increased from 18,701 to 6,471,089. Clarifying these changes and avoiding the vague claim that the percentage “near doubled” would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs presenting the total and district data. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information. However, progression within the district discussion is less clear because the figures and comparisons are not fully developed, and phrases such as “the last two tables” are not especially precise when referring to the two groups in one table. Some linking is mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “In 1800” and “by 2000,” while “which is totally opposite” does not clearly identify the comparison. Organise the district paragraph around the contrasting trends, then support each trend with the relevant population and percentage figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “surged dramatically,” “percentage,” “combined,” and “intervals,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal reporting language, such as “depicts” and “illustrate.” Some choices are inaccurate or awkward, however: “detail numbers” is not a natural collocation, “the population with detail numbers” is unclear, and “near doubled than the previous figure” does not express the comparison idiomatically. “Entire population” is also less precise than “total population.” Aim for accurate collocations such as “population figures,” “accounted for,” and “almost doubled,” and use “districts” consistently when describing the four areas grouped together.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including the opening sentence with “between 1800 and 2000” and the clause beginning “where the population was…”. Most of the intended meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “the Manhattan district population had fall” has an incorrect verb form; “Despite the total number of population grew” uses an unsuitable clause structure; and “the Manhattan had the highest percentage” has an unnecessary article. The sentence beginning “The percentage was…” also has an unclear relative clause (“which was near doubled”). Work on past-tense forms, articles, and constructing contrast clauses with “although” or “while.” More consistently accurate complex sentences would strengthen the report.

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