Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-12

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 given tables show changing in total population of New York city and its five districts.Overall,the most population gain in Manhattan was between eighteen and nineteen centuary as compared to other districts and Manhattan was leading in population ratio in these two centuaries.In all five districts of New York,the most populated district was Manhattan in 1800 and 1900.Population was 76% in Manhattan in year 1800 and in other districts it was only 24%.The Manhattan was leading in ratio of total population in eighteen centuary and was fell to 54% in nineteen centuary and the total population was gained in other districts in the same centuary and it was increased to 46%.In year 2000,the percentage of total population in Manhattan has seen a significant decrease which was only 19%,while in all other districts of New York the total population percentage has seen a massive increase in them and it was 81%.

In conclusion,the Manhattan was leading in total population percentage between the 18 and 19 centuaries,while all other districts of New York was not same in percentage of gaining population in these two centuaries.The all others districts of New York which are Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens and Staten Island have seen a huge increase in percentage of total population of New York which was increased to 81% in year 2000 and the Mantthan has seen a massive decreasing value in year 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast in the tables: Manhattan’s share falls from 76% to 19%, while the other four districts’ combined share rises from 24% to 81%. You also correctly note that Manhattan had the larger share in 1800 and 1900. However, the overview is not fully accurate: saying Manhattan had the “most population gain” between 1800 and 1900 overlooks that the other districts’ combined population grew much more over that period. The response also omits the city’s overall rise from 79,216 to 8,009,185 and gives little attention to the actual population figures, including Manhattan’s decline from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096 between 1900 and 2000. Select and compare these key changes more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure, with an opening summary followed by a concluding paragraph, and it groups the figures around Manhattan and the other districts. However, the progression is weakened by repetition: the fall in Manhattan’s share and the rise in the other districts’ share are stated several times, especially in the conclusion. Linking phrases such as “In conclusion” and “while” are used, but the relationships between ideas are sometimes unclear, as in “the total population was gained in other districts.” The long opening paragraph also combines several comparisons without clear separation. Organise the report into a concise overview and focused detail paragraphs, and use references such as “this share” only when their meaning is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “percentage,” “significant decrease,” and “increase,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “most population gain,” “leading in population ratio,” and “massive decreasing value.” Repeated use of “population,” “percentage,” and “increase” also makes the report less precise. There are spelling errors in “centuary/centuaries” and “Mantthan,” and “changing in total population” is not a natural expression. Build a more accurate set of trend terms and use them selectively—for example, distinguish a population’s size from its share of the city total.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a comparison with “while,” and the reader can usually follow the intended meaning. However, errors in sentence construction and verb forms are frequent enough to make some statements awkward or unclear. Examples include “The Manhattan was leading,” “was fell to 54%,” and “the total population was gained in other districts”; these need more accurate subjects and verb forms. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and punctuation, as in “In all five districts of New York,the most populated district…” and “all other districts … was not same.” Use straightforward past-tense structures for the historical data, check subject–verb agreement, and separate sentences with appropriate spacing and punctuation.

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