Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-06

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 represents changes in the overall population of new york city between three centuries. the second and third table represents changes in the population in manhattan, brooklyn, bronx, queens and staten island over the same period of time.

overall, the tables shows that the total poulation progressed and was generally at its peak in the 2000 except in manhantan where the population in 1900 was relatively the highest .

In manhattan, the highest population had the lowest percentage . as it was shown in the 1800, the total population was 60,515 which was the lowest number of people but had the highest percentage at 76% and in the 1900 was 1,850,093 at 54% and in 2000, the population was 1,438,096 at 19% . In the other four regions , the population was generally the highest in 2000 with 6,471,089 people at 81% , the 1800 was much lower at 18,701 and 1900 at 1,587,109 with total percebtage of 24% and 46% respectively.

The five districts recorded a total population of 8,009,185 as the highest population in 2000 , yotal number of 3,437,202 in 1900 and 79,216 in 1800 showing that there was a general progresss in population in this three centuries .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population rose substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share grew. You also include several relevant figures, such as the city total of 8,009,185 in 2000 and the other districts’ 81% share. However, the overview is not fully clear, and some reporting is inaccurate: Manhattan’s 2000 population is given as 1,438,096 rather than 1,538,096, and you describe 60,515 as the “lowest number of people” without making clear that this is only the lowest of the three years for Manhattan. The response also does not clearly compare the city’s overall growth with the contrasting district trends. Select the key changes accurately and make the overview more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction to an overview, then district details and the city totals. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, the progression is weakened by repeating the total-population figures in the final paragraph after they have already been introduced, while the relationship between the tables is not consistently made clear. Linking phrases such as “overall,” “as it was shown,” and “in the other four regions” are used, but some connections are awkward or unclear, and the long district paragraph combines several comparisons without a clear sequence. Organise the body around the contrasting trends—Manhattan versus the other districts—and avoid repeating information already reported.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “overall population,” “percentage,” “highest,” and “generally,” so the topic is understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are imprecise, such as “population progressed” and “was generally at its peak in the 2000.” “Total percentage” is also unclear when referring to the districts’ shares. Spelling errors, including “poulation,” “manhantan,” “percebtage,” and “progresss,” are noticeable and reduce accuracy. Aim for precise reporting verbs and phrases such as “increased,” “accounted for,” and “population share,” and check spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more extended sentences, including a comparison introduced by “except in Manhattan.” However, grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. For example, “the second and third table represents” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “the tables shows” repeats this problem. The sentence beginning “In Manhattan, the highest population had the lowest percentage” is followed by a fragment beginning “as it was shown,” and the long sentence listing figures lacks clear grammatical control and punctuation. Capitalisation is also inconsistent, as in “new york city.” Practise accurate agreement, complete sentence construction, and punctuation when presenting several figures in one sentence.

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