Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-03

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)

Changes in population of New York City and the five districts of the city from 1800 to 2000 are shown in the 3 tables.

The total population of New York City increased almost 100 times from 1800 to 2000. Manhattan contributed the most in 1800. However, over time, the other districts made valuable contributions and in 2000, they overtook Manhattan's population.

From the first table, it is seen that the total population of New York City increased approximately 40 times from 1800 to 1900. Then it became double in the next 100 years and surpassed 80 million people.

When it comes to the statistics of 5 districts of the New York City, Manhattan is seen to be the highest people containing district in 1800. It contributed 76% of the total population. But there is a gradual declination of contribution to the total population in the next 200 years. Other districts such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, played a vital role in population growth. Over the span of 200 years, it has increased rapidly from 24% to 81%, whereas Manhattan's contribution decreased from 76% to 19%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast accurately: Manhattan dominates in 1800, while the other districts account for the larger share by 2000. The percentages you report (76% to 19% for Manhattan and 24% to 81% for the other districts) match the tables. However, there is a major factual error in the total-population paragraph: the city had about 8 million people in 2000, not “80 million.” The overview also says the total rose “almost 100 times,” which is broadly accurate, but the account would be stronger with the exact totals and a clearer comparison across all three years. The district figures are mainly discussed as percentages, so the substantial rise and subsequent fall in Manhattan’s population are not fully reported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction, a summary of the main trends, and paragraphs covering the total population and district shares. The progression from the city-wide figures to the district comparison is easy to follow, and linking phrases such as “However,” “Then,” and “When it comes to” help connect ideas. Some connections are repetitive or slightly mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “From the first table” and “When it comes to.” The final paragraph also combines the districts’ population growth with their percentage share without clearly separating those points. Organising the details more explicitly by year or by population versus share would make the progression more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of vocabulary to describe change and comparison, including “increased,” “overtook,” “contributed,” and “decreased.” These choices generally make the trends understandable, and the response uses relevant terms such as “total population” and “percentage.” Some less natural word choices and collocations reduce precision: “valuable contributions” is not an appropriate description of population shares, “highest people containing district” is awkward, and “gradual declination” is not the usual expression for a falling proportion. “Surpassed 80 million” also compounds the factual error with an unsuitable scale. Aim for standard data-reporting phrases such as “accounted for,” “had the largest population,” and “fell steadily”; these will make the description more natural and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses with “However” and “whereas,” and most of the meaning remains clear. Some grammatical errors are present. For example, “Manhattan is seen to be the highest people containing district” has an awkward construction, while “Other districts … played a vital role” has a subject–verb agreement problem because “districts” is plural. In “Over the span of 200 years, it has increased,” the pronoun reference is unclear and the present perfect does not fit the completed period ending in 2000; use a clear plural subject and past tense. Review articles and sentence patterns as well, especially in “the five districts of the New York City.”

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