Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-30

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 illustrates how the population has changed in New York city and its five different districts in the year of 1800, 1900 and 2000.

Overall, the total population of New York city has increased significantly over the given period. Although, the population of four districts Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island has increased, it was decreased in Manhattan district.

In 1800, the proportion of people living in four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) was 24% only, which became almost twice in 1900, reaching to a number of [redacted phone]. The number of increasing citizens lifted to [redacted phone] in 2000. On the contrary, There was a significant decrease in the percentage of population in Manhattan district, it falls from 76% to 19% over the period shown.

While total number of citizens lived in New York city was 79216 in 1800, which has increased largely over the next two hundred years, and in 2000, the number has reached to [redacted phone].

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall contrast: New York’s total population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other four districts’ share rose. The figures for the combined districts in 1800 and 2000 are also reported accurately. However, some key information is only partly covered: the total for 1900 is omitted, and Manhattan’s population itself is not described. The statement that the four districts’ population “almost twice” in 1900 is unclear because it compares the 1800 percentage with a 1900 headcount rather than giving a like-for-like comparison. To strengthen the report, include the 1900 city total and explain that Manhattan’s population rose to a peak in 1900 before declining by 2000, despite the city’s continued growth.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs presenting district and city figures. The contrast signalled by “On the contrary” and “While” helps the reader follow the main comparisons. However, the progression is not fully smooth: the third paragraph moves from the four districts’ share to their population, then to Manhattan’s share, while the final paragraph returns to the city total. Some links are also awkward or unclear, particularly “which became almost twice in 1900, reaching to a number of…”. Grouping the figures by year or presenting the city total alongside the district data for each year would make the comparisons easier to follow. Check capitalization after sentence breaks, such as “There”.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “increased significantly”, “proportion”, “percentage” and “decrease”. These choices communicate the broad changes, and the repeated use of population-related terms keeps the topic clear. Some expressions are imprecise or unnatural, however: “the number of increasing citizens” does not clearly describe a population figure, and “reaching to a number” is an awkward collocation. “Lifted” is also less suitable for a neutral statistical report. Use precise terms such as “population”, “accounted for”, “rose to” and “declined”. Take care with capitalization and spelling conventions in names, including “New York City” and “Manhattan”.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning with “Although” and “While”, and the main meaning is generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain. For example, “The tables illustrates” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “Although, the population … has increased, it was decreased” has faulty punctuation and an inconsistent verb construction. In “it falls from 76% to 19%”, the present tense does not match the past period being described. The opening phrase “in the year of 1800, 1900 and 2000” also needs a more accurate plural construction. Aim to keep past-tense reporting consistent and check agreement, articles and sentence boundaries when combining clauses.

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