Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-22

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 illustrates how the total population changes of all five districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) in New York City between 1800 and 2000 while the second and third tables give proportional changes in the population of the five districts of the city over the same time.

Overall, the population of all five districts in New York city was reached at peak level in 2000 while the most least was in 1800. In Manhattan, the maximum proportion of total population was in 1800 while the least was in 2000. On the other hand, in 1800 all four districts population was the least proportion of total population whereas the highest was in 2000.

In 1800, the total population of whole New York city had 79,216 while the population of Manhattan alone was 60,515 which was 76 proportional of total population. For other four districts, sum of total population was 18,701 which was 24 percent of total population.

In 1900, 3,437,202 people were live in New York City while the population of Manhattan was 1,850,093 and all four districts had 1,587,109 all together which was 54 and 46 percent of total population respectively.

In 2000, all five districts total population were 8,009,185 while 19 percent of total population were from Manhattan and rest four were 81 percent of total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main time points and report the key contrast: Manhattan’s share falls from 76% to 19%, while the other four districts’ share rises from 24% to 81%. The population figures you include are consistent with the tables, and the overview identifies the overall growth and changing distribution. However, some points are less fully or clearly expressed. For example, “the most least was in 1800” does not clearly state that the city’s population was lowest then, and the overview could more directly compare the absolute population changes: Manhattan grew to 1900 before declining, whereas the other districts continued to expand. Make these trends explicit and use precise descriptions of the figures to strengthen the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for 1800, 1900 and 2000. This chronological organisation makes the figures easy to locate, and linking phrases such as “Overall” and “On the other hand” help signal relationships. Cohesion is sometimes mechanical or unclear, however. The opening sentence repeats “the first table” and “the second and third tables” without clearly distinguishing total population from population shares. In the overview, “all four districts population” is difficult to follow, and “respectively” in the 1900 paragraph requires the reader to infer which percentages match which groups. Use clearer references and connect comparisons directly, rather than relying on repeated year-by-year reporting.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing tables, including “total population,” “proportion,” “percent,” and “all together,” so the main information remains understandable. There is some range in expressions such as “maximum proportion” and “rest four,” but several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural. “Was reached at peak level” is not a natural way to describe the highest population, while “the most least” and “76 proportional” make the intended meaning less precise. “Proportional changes” also suggests changes in proportions rather than the population figures shown. Aim for standard data-reporting phrases such as “reached its peak,” “accounted for 76%,” and “the remaining four districts”; this will make comparisons more precise and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “while” and “whereas,” and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. Some grammatical errors remain in sentence construction, verb forms, agreement and articles. For instance, “3,437,202 people were live” uses an incorrect verb form; “the total population … had 79,216” does not form a natural grammatical pattern; and “all five districts total population were” has problems with possession and subject–verb agreement. The opening sentence is also difficult to control because several ideas are joined in one long structure. Practise building accurate comparison sentences with a clear subject and verb, for example, “New York City’s population was 3,437,202, while Manhattan accounted for 54%.”

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