Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 table chart illustrates the variation in population of New York and its five distinct districts over the same period. Overall, population of New York increase dramatically more than double while, Manhattan population increase but its share in total sum was decreased. Conversely, upward pattern was noticed in other districts and their share in total population was also increased.

However, the residents of New York(all five districts) with were just 79,216 in 1800 and this number multiplied in next century to 3,437,202. In 2000 this population reached on its maximum to 8,009,185.

Similarly, In Manhattan the number of peoples were 60,515 in 1800 and they are the 76% of the total population, population increase with time but the percentage share decreased to 19% in 2000 but the population were 1,538,096. on the other hand in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island the combine population was far less than Manhattan alone. These four districts had 18,701 individuals in 18 century and it was just 24% of the total population. The number of population increased with its share in total sum also increased. It went to 46% in 1900 and 81% in 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the main overall pattern: New York’s population rose substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share grew. The key figures for the city total and Manhattan are accurate, and you compare the districts’ combined share across the years. This meets the task well, with some features reported more fully than others. However, the overview says Manhattan’s population increased, although it rose from 60,515 to 1,850,093 by 1900 and then declined to 1,538,096 in 2000. Also, the other districts were not always less populous than Manhattan: their combined population exceeded Manhattan’s in 2000. Make these contrasts explicit and describe the rise and subsequent fall in Manhattan more precisely to strengthen the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an overview is followed by details about the city total and then the district groups. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Similarly,” and “on the other hand” help signal relationships between points. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. “However” does not introduce a contrast in the paragraph about the city total, and “Similarly” is not a precise link to the Manhattan figures. The long final paragraph also shifts between Manhattan and the other districts without a clear break, making the comparison harder to follow. Organise the details into clearer stages—city total, then Manhattan versus the other districts—and use linking phrases that accurately express contrast or continuation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing change, including “dramatically,” “share,” “upward pattern,” and “increased.” These choices make the main trends understandable. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural for a data summary, such as “table chart,” “total sum,” “reached on its maximum,” and “number of peoples.” Repetition of “population” and “increased” also limits flexibility, while “distinct districts” is less precise than simply naming the boroughs or referring to the other districts. Aim for standard collocations used in reports, such as “the population stood at,” “accounted for,” and “rose to,” and vary verbs carefully to distinguish growth from decline.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “while” and a sentence linking population figures to percentages. Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries are frequent enough to affect fluency. Examples include “population of New York increase,” “Manhattan population increase,” and “the population were 1,538,096”; these need consistent subject–verb agreement and past-tense forms. The sentence beginning “Similarly, In Manhattan” also runs together several ideas, and capitalisation after full stops is inconsistent. Practise building accurate past-tense comparisons, for example: “Manhattan’s population rose to … in 1900, before falling to … in 2000.” Shorter, correctly punctuated sentences would improve control.

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