Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-09

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 the changes in the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The second table shows the total population of Manhattan and other four districts from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the population of New York City has significantly increase over the period of time. Population of Manhattan was almost thrice the figure of other four districts in 1800. While the population of Manhattan has increased but not as much as other districts.

In 1800, the population in New York City was 79,216, after a century in 1900 in was significantly increased to 3,437,202 and in 2000 it grew to 8,009,185 which is more than twice the figure of 1900. The total population of Manhattan in 1800 was 60,515 while in other four districts it was 18,701 which is way less than the figure of Manhattan.

In 1900, Manhattan's total population rose to 1,850,093 while other districts stood at 1,587,109. In 2000, the total population of Manhattan was 1,528,096, while the population of other disctricts grew significantly stood at 6,471,089.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main time points and include relevant figures for the city as a whole and for Manhattan and the other districts. The overview identifies the sharp overall growth and the shift in population share away from Manhattan, and the comparison that Manhattan was almost three times as populous in 1800 is accurate. However, the overview could state the key reversal more clearly: by 2000, the other districts contained most of the population. There is also a factual error: Manhattan’s 2000 population was 1,538,096, not 1,528,096. The response reports several figures but gives limited interpretation of the changing proportions, so the main features are only partly developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs covering the data chronologically. This helps the reader follow the broad movement from 1800 to 2000. However, progression is not always smooth: the overview’s sentence beginning “While the population of Manhattan…” is incomplete as a contrast, and the final paragraph repeats figures without clearly explaining the change in relative importance. Linking phrases such as “after a century” and “In 2000” provide some connection, but the sequence can feel like a list of numbers. Organise the details around the main comparison—Manhattan’s rise and subsequent decline versus the continued growth elsewhere—and use clearer links between those trends.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “population,” “rose,” “grew,” “stood at” and “figure,” so the meaning is generally clear. However, the range is limited and some expressions are repetitive or informal for an academic report. “Way less than” is conversational, while “significantly increase” and “grew significantly stood at” show inaccurate word choice or collocation. There are also spelling errors, including “disctricts.” Aim for more precise language to describe changes and proportions, and avoid repeating “total population” where a shorter reference is clear. These improvements would make the comparisons more natural and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, and the figures are usually placed in understandable sentence patterns. However, errors occur often enough to make some sentences awkward. For example, “has significantly increase” has an incorrect verb form, and “after a century in 1900 in was significantly increased” contains a pronoun error and an unnatural passive construction. The sentence “While the population of Manhattan has increased but not as much…” combines contrasting structures incorrectly and is incomplete. Tense use also shifts between present perfect and past when describing completed historical data. Use the past simple consistently for these dates, and check that each contrast clause forms a complete sentence.

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