Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 illustrates the changes in the total population of newyork city from 1800 to 2000 while the second and third tabels depict changes in the population of the five districts of the city over the same period

Overall, it is clear that population increased over a period of time . Newyork city had the highest population in year 2000.Manhattan has highest population in 1900 whereas other districts had highest population in 2000. Other districts has lowest population in year 1800.

In year 1800, Newyork city total population was at 79216 where as Manhattan has 60,515 highest among other districts which was at 18701. Newyork city population increased and reached at [redacted phone].Manhattan population was at [redacted phone] with the percentage of 54%

In year 2000, Manhattan population decline and reached at [redacted phone] where as there were a significant growth in other districts population at [redacted phone] with the highest percentage of total population accounted for 81%.Population of Newyork increased more then twice and reached at [redacted phone].

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population rose substantially, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts’ share grew. Several figures are accurately reported, including the 1800 total and Manhattan population, Manhattan’s 1900 population, and the 2000 figures for Manhattan and the other districts. However, the account is incomplete: it omits the other-districts figure for 1900 and does not clearly report the total population for that year. The overview also says the city had its highest population in 2000, which is true but less informative than highlighting the shift in population away from Manhattan. Develop the comparisons across all three dates more fully and state the key change in the districts’ relative shares.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs covering earlier and later years. This gives the reader some organisation, and time markers such as “In year 1800” and “In year 2000” help locate the information. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the 1900 data is placed in the paragraph about 1800, and the transition to 2000 leaves the middle year underdeveloped. Linking is also limited, while “whereas” is used repeatedly and sometimes joins comparisons awkwardly. Group the information by a clear sequence—overview, then 1800 and 1900, followed by 2000—or compare Manhattan with the other districts consistently at each date. This would make the relationships between figures easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “population,” “percentage,” “increased,” “decline” and “significant growth,” so the main subject is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or repetitive. For example, “increased and reached at” and “population was at” are awkward collocations, while “highest percentage of total population accounted for 81%” is unnecessarily cumbersome. Spelling and presentation also need attention: “newyork,” “tabels” and “then” reduce accuracy, and the city’s name should be written as “New York.” Use more precise reporting language such as “rose to,” “stood at,” “fell to” and “accounted for,” and vary the vocabulary used to describe changes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including comparisons with “whereas” and an overview beginning “Overall, it is clear that…”. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors recur in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence boundaries. Examples include “Manhattan has highest population,” “Other districts has lowest population,” and “there were a significant growth”; these need forms such as “Manhattan had the highest population,” “the other districts had the lowest population,” and “there was significant growth.” Some sentences also lack clear punctuation or contain run-on spacing, as in “2000.Manhattan” and “81%.Population.” Practise accurate past-tense reporting and subject–verb agreement, and check articles and punctuation when editing. These changes would make the comparisons clearer.

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