Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-11
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 tables gives us information about the changes happened in the overall population of nyc as well as about the changes in the population of five districts from 1800 to 2000. The overall population of nyc increased over the period. Similarly the population of manhattan and other districts also showed the steady increase from 1800 to 2000. On the other hand in manhattan the percentage of total population readily decreaesd over time.
Overall, there is a rise in the population of new york city including all the five districts. In year 1800 the total population was around 79,216 that shoot upto 3,437,202 in 1900 and jumped upto 5 fold in 2000 nearly around 8,[redacted phone].
On the other hand the total population of manhattan climedupto 1,85 in 1900 about 1,850,096 and then went down upto 1,538,096 while the percentage of total population of manhattan dropped starting from 76 perct in 1800 ,54 perct in the next 100 years and 19 perct in year 2000.Moreover the overall population of all the other districts shot up over the time starting fro 18,701 to 6,471,089.Similarly there is a graduall rise in the percentage of total population from 24 perct in 1800 to 46 perct in 1900 and then went upto 81 perct in 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. The response also includes relevant figures for all three years, and the reported totals and percentages are generally grounded in the tables. The contrast that Manhattan’s population peaked in 1900 and then declined is useful, although the opening summary incorrectly says that Manhattan’s population increased steadily throughout; this conflicts with the later, accurate account. Some figures are also unclear or inaccurate, such as “1,85” and the slightly misreported 1900 Manhattan population. To strengthen the response, make the overview precise and consistent, and compare the districts’ population trends more clearly rather than relying mainly on a list of figures.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction and overview are followed by details about the city total, Manhattan, and the other districts. This gives the reader a basic progression, and linking phrases such as “On the other hand” and “Moreover” help signal comparisons. However, the overview repeats the general rise already stated in the introduction, and the contrast marker “On the other hand” is used where the relationship between ideas is not always clear. The long final paragraph also combines several trends and figures without enough sentence separation. Grouping the city total first, then comparing Manhattan with the other districts, and using clearer references would make the organisation more controlled.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “overall population,” “percentage,” “dropped,” and “shot up.” However, the range is limited and several choices are informal or imprecise for an academic report. “Shot up” and “jumped” are conversational, while “readily decreased” does not naturally describe a falling share. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “decreaesd,” “perct,” “graduall,” and “climedupto,” which can distract the reader. Aim for accurate, neutral reporting verbs and check spelling carefully. Replacing repeated expressions with precise alternatives such as “increased,” “declined,” and “accounted for” would improve the academic tone.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the main trends can generally be understood. However, errors occur across sentence construction and agreement. For example, “The tables gives us information” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “the changes happened in” is an awkwardly formed clause. The sentence beginning “In year 1800” lacks an article, while “starting from 76 perct … and 19 perct” is not punctuated clearly enough to separate the figures. Some sentences also run together, particularly the final one, making relationships between clauses harder to follow. Use shorter, complete sentences when presenting several values, and check agreement, articles, verb forms, and punctuation.
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