Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-02

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 displays the changes in the net population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The second and third tables illustrates changes in the number of people along with the percentage of total population of five districts of New York from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, there is a substantial increase in the total population of New York City. The percentage of net population increased substantially over the period in other disctricts. As a result, the proportion of total population in Manhattan declined each century.

In 1800, overall population of NYC was 79,216 making it the lowest figure in this time period. Population of the city rose up unbelievably to 3,437,202 in 1900 and this number reached 8,009,185 till 2000.

In 1800, Manhattan was the most populated area in New York City which was accountable for 76% of the NYC's population with a number of 60,515 people while other cities had a population of 18,701 making 24% of the New York's population. Percentage and number of people kept increasing in 1900 and 2000 reaching about 6.5 Million people at the end of the period in other districts. On the other hand, Manhattan's population grew up until 1900 but declined in 2000 which made it accountable for 19% of the net popuation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main changes and give a clear overview: the city’s total population rose substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share grew. The figures for 1800 and the city totals in 1900 and 2000 are accurate, and you correctly note Manhattan’s rise to 1900 followed by a decline. This is a relevant account of the tables. However, some comparisons are less fully developed: you do not give the 1900 and 2000 figures for Manhattan, and “Percentage and number of people kept increasing” is vague about which years and values are involved. Also, the other districts’ population did not increase at every stage in percentage terms from 1800 to 1900? It rose from 24% to 46%, then to 81%; state this progression precisely. More specific comparisons would strengthen coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement, moving from an introduction and overview to the city totals and then the district figures. The contrast signalled by “On the other hand” helps connect Manhattan’s decline with the growth elsewhere, and the main progression is easy to follow. Some links and references are less precise, however. “This number” clearly refers to the 1900 total, but “Percentage and number of people kept increasing” does not identify the subject clearly, and the sentence combines two years without showing the change between them. The overview also repeats the idea of substantial growth without specifying the key comparison. Organise the final paragraph around the two groups and use explicit year-to-year comparisons to make cohesion more flexible and less dependent on broad linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for describing tables, including “substantial increase,” “proportion,” “declined,” and “most populated.” These choices communicate the main trends, and the meaning remains clear despite some imprecise wording. At times, vocabulary is not well matched to the data: “net population” is not the appropriate term for total population, “other cities” should refer to districts, and “grew up” is an awkward collocation for a population figure. “Unbelievably” is also too subjective for a formal report, while “accountable for” does not mean “accounted for” in this context. There are spelling errors such as “disctricts” and “popuation.” Use precise, neutral terms consistently and check spelling to improve control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “which” and the contrastive construction “while …”. Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “The second and third tables illustrates” has a subject–verb agreement error; “the overall population … was 79,216 making” needs clearer punctuation and sentence structure; and “reaching about 6.5 Million people … in other districts” is an awkwardly attached participial phrase. Articles and possessives are also inconsistent in phrases such as “the NYC’s population.” Aim for more controlled sentence boundaries and check agreement, articles, and clause attachment. Greater accuracy across these structures would make the report easier to read.

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