Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-28

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 changes in the total population of the New York city between 1800 annd 2000. The second and third table depicts the shifts in the number of people of all five districts of the city, where Manhattan is described in second table and other four districts in third table, also expressed as percentages.

Overall, New York city with all five districts included, increases significantly for each century. Similary, the other four districts increased substantially throughtout the period, where these districts between [redacted phone] increased sharply by 35 percentage points. In contrast to this, Manhattan as an individual increased steadily, before decreasing by the same 35 percentage points in 2000.

Manhattan accounted for the largest proportion in year 1800 with 60,515 population at 76%, which further increased to 1,850,093 by 1900. In contrast to this, in 2000 Manhattan decreased to 19% with 1,538,096 as total population

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall population growth and the contrasting shift in population share from Manhattan to the other districts, and you include several accurate figures, such as Manhattan’s 76% share in 1800 and its 19% share in 2000. However, the account is incomplete: it does not report the total population figures or the other districts’ population totals, and the final sentence ends without completing the comparison. The overview also says Manhattan “increased steadily,” although its population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 and then fell to 1,538,096. The requirement of at least 150 words is not met. To strengthen the response, summarise the main changes across all three tables and make the population trend as well as the percentage shift clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph with specific Manhattan figures. Linking expressions such as “Overall” and “In contrast” help signal the main comparisons. However, the progression is incomplete because the final paragraph stops after the Manhattan figures and never reports the other districts’ data or returns to the total population. Some connections are also awkward or unclear, particularly “where these districts between 1900-2000 increased sharply,” which makes the relationship between the districts and the percentage change difficult to follow. Organise the details into a clear comparison of Manhattan and the other districts, and use complete sentences to finish each point.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “accounted for,” “proportion,” “increased substantially,” and “decreased,” so the main trends are generally understandable. There are also attempts at more formal reporting language. However, some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “shifts in the number of people” is less direct than “changes in population,” and “as total population” does not clearly describe Manhattan’s figure. Spelling slips such as “annd” and “Similary,” along with “throughtout,” reduce accuracy. Aim for precise collocations for describing data and check spelling carefully; this would make the vocabulary more controlled and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including the contrast in “Manhattan … increased steadily, before decreasing” and the clause beginning “where Manhattan is described.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “The second and third table depicts” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “New York city … increases” uses an unsuitable present-tense form for historical data. The phrase “with 60,515 population at 76%” also has an unclear grammatical relationship between the figure and the percentage, and the final sentence is incomplete. Use past-tense verbs consistently for the historical period, check agreement and articles, and ensure each sentence has a complete, clear structure.

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