Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-13

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 three tables here describes the total number people in the New York City and in five districts namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island between 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the table clearly depicts the rose in population in the five districts of New York over 200 years. In the early 1800s, the city of Manhattan stands first in population but slowly over the years the population density in other cities slowly climbed up which contributed to the overall increase in the state of New York.

It's evident that the in the 1800, the total number of people in New York City contributed to 79,216 out which 76% of them lived in Manhattan and the remaining 24% in other districts. In the following years the population increased almost four fold in the 1900s and more than two fold in the year 2000 making a tremendous rose in the popualtion of New York City to 8,009,185.

While looking at the year 1900, Manhattan still remains the major city contributing to the overall population of New York which was 54%. But the year 2000 brings a huge decline in the population of Manhattan to 19% when the 4 other districts population grew upto 81% of the overall population making it to 6,471,089.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall changes: New York City’s population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. The figures for 1800 and 2000, including 79,216, 76%, 19% and 6,471,089, are reported accurately. However, some key comparisons are incomplete or unclear. The statement that the population increased “almost four fold” in 1900 and “more than two fold” by 2000 does not specify the comparison point, and the 1900 and 2000 total populations are not given. Also, the overview says population rose in all five districts, although the tables combine the four other districts and show Manhattan’s population actually declined between 1900 and 2000. Make the comparisons more precise and distinguish population totals from percentage shares.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs presenting details. This gives the reader a coherent overall route through the information, and phrases such as “In the following years” and “While looking at the year 1900” help signal movement between periods. However, some links are mechanical or imprecise, and the progression between total population and district shares is not always clear. For example, “the population increased almost four fold” does not identify which years are being compared, while “But the year 2000 brings” shifts abruptly into a new comparison. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each figure explicitly to its year and comparison, while keeping the overview separate from detailed data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing tables and change, including “overall increase,” “decline,” “contributing,” and “population density.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which limits precision: “the table clearly depicts the rose” and “making a tremendous rose” appear to mean a rise, while “other cities” is unsuitable for the districts within New York City. “Population density” also refers to people per unit of area, not the population total or share shown here. Spelling errors such as “popualtion” further affect control. Choose standard data-reporting terms and check that each word describes the measure accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including clauses beginning “While looking at the year 1900” and “when the 4 other districts…”. The main message is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “The three tables here describes” has subject–verb disagreement, and “between 1800 to 2000” uses an incorrect preposition pattern. The sentence beginning “It's evident that the in the 1800” contains an unnecessary article and an awkward clause structure; “the population increased… making” also leaves the relationship between the increase and result unclear. Review agreement, articles and preposition patterns, and divide long sentences when their structure becomes difficult to control.

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