Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-09

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 shows and changes in the populationof new york city during 1800 to and 2000 and the second and third tables shows the changes in five districts of the new york namley manhattan, brooklyn, bronx, queens and the staten island in same time period.

it is clearly seen that over the time period the total number of population was increased. the major change was consider between 1900 to 2000 in city. moreover, manhattan is the biggest city which contributing most in population.

In 1800 century, new york had 79216 number of people in all five districts but after a century it increased significantly arround [redacted phone] which is grow considerble and it not stopped yet it has followed this trend and rose higher then double of the last century numberly [redacted phone].

In the second and third table, manhattan was climbed 76% of the total popullation loely and other district grew only 24% in 1800 to 1900 but in the next century, manhattan are rose 54 percentage and others 46% which is the almost simillar. furthermore, during 1900 to 2000 manhattan only contributed almost one fourth of the total population and other districts cover large perportion of the total population (81%).

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall rise in New York City’s population and note the major shift from Manhattan to the other districts. The figures you give for the city total and the district shares are broadly accurate, including the fall in Manhattan’s share to 19% and the rise of the other districts to 81%. However, the overview is unclear in places: calling Manhattan “the biggest city” does not accurately describe its changing population, and the claim that the major change occurred from 1900 to 2000 is not explained. You also miss the important fact that Manhattan’s population itself peaked in 1900 and then declined by 2000. Select and compare the key trends more precisely, rather than relying mainly on percentages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a brief overview, and paragraphs reporting the city total and district figures. This gives the reader some sense of progression, and linking expressions such as “moreover” and “furthermore” help connect points. However, the progression is not consistently clear because several sentences combine multiple comparisons without a precise relationship. For example, the final paragraph moves from 1800–1900 to 1900–2000, but the wording makes the changes in shares difficult to follow. Some linking phrases are also used mechanically, and references such as “this trend” are not always specific. Organise the district comparisons by period or by Manhattan versus the other districts, and use clearer sentence boundaries.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “increased significantly,” “contributed,” and “total population,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making the meaning unclear. For instance, “Manhattan is the biggest city” is not an appropriate description of a district, while “Manhattan was climbed” and “cover large perportion” do not express the intended trends naturally. Spelling errors such as “popullation,” “arround,” and “simillar” are also noticeable. Build a more reliable set of chart-description phrases, especially verbs for rises, falls, shares, and comparisons, and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including clauses linked with “but,” “which,” and “while,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in verb forms and agreement occur frequently, as in “the second and third tables shows,” “Manhattan was climbed,” and “Manhattan are rose.” Articles, prepositions, and sentence construction are also problematic in phrases such as “in 1800 century” and “the major change was consider between 1900 to 2000.” These errors sometimes make the intended comparison difficult to understand. Use straightforward sentence patterns accurately before adding complexity: for example, state that the city’s population rose from one figure to another, then give a separate sentence comparing district shares. Review past-tense forms and subject–verb agreement.

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