Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-11

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 first table gives information about the population increase in the New York City from 1800 to 2000. While the second table gives the proportion of total population in Manhattan and third table shows ratio of total population in other four districts including: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island starting from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, in all the five districts the population increased over the given period. From 1800 to 1900, the largest portion of New York city population was Manhattan, while in 2000, it became the smallest and the other four districts accounted for the largest population together.

In the beginning of the period given, NYC population was 79,216 comprises of 76% Manhattan (60,515), being the largest proportion and 24% (18,701) other districts.

The population percentage in Manhattan fell to 54% (1,587,109) in 1900 before decreasing to 19% (1,538,701) in 2000 as compared to other districts

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main population shift: Manhattan held the largest share early on, while the other districts together dominated by 2000. The figures for 1800 are accurate, and you report the overall city’s growth. However, the response does not fully summarise the tables: it omits the total populations for 1900 and 2000, and the final comparison is unfinished. There is also a factual error: Manhattan’s 2000 population was 1,538,096, not 1,538,701; the figure 1,587,109 belongs to the other districts in 1900. The response is four words below the required minimum. Include the missing endpoint totals and complete the comparison to develop the key features more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and a paragraph of details. The overview gives a useful comparison between Manhattan and the other districts, and phrases such as “From 1800 to 1900” help signal time. However, the final paragraph stops after “as compared to other districts,” leaving the comparison incomplete and weakening progression. Some linking is also mechanical: “While” begins a sentence fragment rather than connecting two clauses, and “before decreasing” makes the sequence harder to follow because the population figure rises from 1800 to 1900 before falling slightly. Complete the final comparison and use clear chronological links to make the relationships between figures easier to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing tables and proportions, including “population,” “proportion,” “largest portion,” and “accounted for.” This is enough to communicate the general subject and trend. However, several choices are imprecise or awkward, such as “ratio of total population” for a percentage share and “the population increase in the New York City.” “Starting from” is also less suitable for describing the period shown. The repeated use of “population” and “districts” limits flexibility, while “including:” is not natural in this sentence. Aim for accurate collocations such as “share of the total population,” “population rose,” and “over the period,” and check spelling and capitalisation in place names, including “Staten Island.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including the overview sentence beginning “From 1800 to 1900” and the clause “before decreasing to 19%.” Some errors remain in sentence construction and control. “While the second table gives…” is a dependent clause presented as a complete sentence, and “NYC population was 79,216 comprises of…” combines incompatible verb forms. The phrase “the population percentage in Manhattan fell to 54% … before decreasing” also leaves unclear whether the percentage or the population is decreasing. Articles and agreement need attention in “the New York City” and “population … comprises.” Use complete clauses, keep the subject consistent, and distinguish changes in population numbers from changes in percentages.

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