Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-08

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 5.5)

The first table which is given below is showing the total population of New york from 1800 to 2000 second and third paragraph illustrat the changes of five districts.

New york population in the year of 1800 was the most down in the ratio as compare to 1900 and 2000 .In 1900 the population was 3,437,202 less than 2000 but high than 1800 .while 2000 population in New york was about 8,009,185 it was all of the above .

Manhattan and other districts Brooklyn , Bronx ,Queens ,Staten Island has different population in different years .The Manhattan in 1800 has 60,515 population as a percentage it was about 76 percent and other districts population in year 1800 was 18,701 and 24 percent which was less than Manhattan . In 1900 Manhattan population was again high than other districts its 1,850,093 and its percentage was 54 percent while other districts was having less about 1,587,109 as a percentage its 46 percent .

In 2000 the twist came and the population get increasd of other districts which was 6,471,089 and 81 percent but the population of Mahattan was 1,538,096 19 percent .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You report the main figures for all three years and make relevant comparisons between Manhattan and the other districts. For example, you correctly show Manhattan leading in 1800 and 1900, then the other districts accounting for 81% in 2000. The total population figures are also accurate. However, the response lacks a clear overview of the broad trends: the city’s population rose substantially across the period, while Manhattan’s share declined and the other districts’ share increased. The opening mainly describes what the tables show rather than summarising these key changes. Some comparisons are also expressed unclearly, such as saying the 1900 total was “less than 2000 but high than 1800.” A concise overview and clearer emphasis on the overall shifts would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a generally understandable order: it introduces the tables, discusses the city total, and then compares Manhattan with the other districts across the three years. Time markers such as “In 1900” and “In 2000” help readers follow the data. However, the opening sentence is difficult to interpret, and the paragraphing does not clearly separate an overview from the detailed comparisons. Some links are mechanical or unclear, particularly “while” in the sentence comparing the 1900 total with the other years and “but” in the district comparison. Organise the report into a brief introduction, a clear overview, and logically grouped details, using linking words only where the relationship between ideas is precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant data-reporting vocabulary, including “population,” “percentage,” “districts,” and “increased,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, such as “most down in the ratio,” “high than,” and “the twist came.” These expressions make some comparisons harder to understand and are not suitable for a formal report. There are also spelling and word-form errors, including “New york,” “increasd,” and “Mahattan.” Aim for precise, neutral language such as “lowest,” “higher than,” “accounted for,” and “rose.” Check spelling and use consistent formal terms when describing proportions and changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more connected sentences, and the reader can usually identify the years and figures being discussed. However, errors in sentence structure and verb forms occur in several places. For example, “The first table … is showing” is an awkward present-progressive construction, while “Manhattan … has 60,515 population” and “the population get increasd” have problems with tense and sentence formation. Articles and prepositions are also often missing or incorrectly used, as in “in the year of 1800” and “as compare to.” Some punctuation and spacing problems make long sentences harder to follow. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build comparisons in complete sentences, for example: “Manhattan’s population was higher than that of the other districts in 1900.”

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