Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19

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 the number of individuals living in five different districts of New York city and a whole city in between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, the population of New York City have increased notably from 1800 to 2000 with majority of people living in districts like- Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, State Island and least in Manhattan, which is totally opposited compared to 1800.

In 1800, 79,216 individuals lived in New York city from which 76% population lived in manhattan and only 24% in other cities. In 1900, the New York City grew up as a most popular city with 3,437,202 individuals living there. Amoung these individuals, nearly half of them (54%) lived in a single city which is Manhattan and rest of them spread amoung four different districts.

In 2000, the New York population increased by more than double reaching 8,009,185 with the change in population distribution amoung the disctricts. In same year, only 19% of the population stayed in Manhattan, while 81% of them lived in four different cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main changes across all three years and provide a clear overview: the city’s population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell as the other districts’ share rose. The figures for 1800 and 2000 are reported accurately, and you correctly identify Manhattan as the majority location in 1800 and the other districts as dominant by 2000. This meets the task well and shows some selection of key features. However, the 1900 comparison is less precise: 54% is described as “nearly half,” but the response does not give Manhattan’s population or note that its population later declined from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096 despite overall city growth. Also, “more than double” describes the rise from 1900 to 2000, not the full period. More precise comparisons would strengthen the overview and coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and chronological paragraphs covering 1800, 1900 and 2000. This makes the information easy to follow, and phrases such as “In 1800,” “In 1900” and “In 2000” provide straightforward signposting. However, progression is somewhat mechanical because each paragraph mainly reports one year in sequence rather than grouping and comparing the most important trends. Some references are also unclear: “other cities” and “four different cities” refer to the other districts, while “which” in the 1900 sentence could refer to either the city or the population. Use consistent labels such as “Manhattan” and “the other four districts,” and connect the years through direct comparisons to make cohesion more natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to describe population and change, including “increased notably,” “population distribution” and “reaching.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this data-reporting task. “Individuals” is less suitable than “residents” or “people,” and “grew up as a most popular city” does not express population growth clearly. “Other cities” and “four different cities” are also imprecise because the figures refer to districts. Spelling errors such as “Amoung,” “amoung” and “disctricts,” together with “opposited,” reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, repeatable terms such as “population,” “accounted for,” “share” and “districts”; this will improve clarity without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including the overview clause beginning “with majority of people living…” and the sentence “In 2000, only 19% … while 81%…”. The main comparisons remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “the population … have increased” has subject–verb disagreement, and “in between 1800 and 2000” is an incorrect time expression. Articles and sentence construction also need attention in “with majority of people” and “grew up as a most popular city.” The 1900 sentence is awkwardly formed around “Amoung these individuals,” and the extra spacing before “lived” affects punctuation presentation. Check agreement, articles and clause structure, then proofread each sentence for a complete, natural construction.

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