Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-14

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 following table illustrates the variation in population of the city of New York for two centuries, from 1800 to 2000. The second table demonstartes the changes in population of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island over the same time frame.

The New York data shows the population into three segment years . In 1800 the population estimated 79,216 and after a century in 1900 the population increased drastically to 3,437,202 moreover by the time of 2000 the population got excessive by more than double at 8,009,185. The highest among the three.

The second table show the intel about Manhattan from 1800 to 2000. The population of manhattan illustrates also as the percentage of total population. Where in 1800 the population of Manhattan was estimated 60,515 with 76% of total population. In the year 1900 the population got increased by 1,[redacted phone] but the population got decreased at the total of 54%.In 2000 the population decreased as well as the total population as well with the fifure of 1,[redacted phone] by 19 % .

The Third and the last table shows the population of the other districts Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. As from 1800 to 1900 the population increased from 18,701 to 1,587,109 and at a percentage of 24% to 46%. At the year 2000 the population increased at a total of 6,471,089 at the 81 percent of total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the overall population and both population groupings, and include relevant figures for all three years. The main trends are generally accurate: the city grew substantially, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts’ share rose. However, the overview is not clearly separated or stated, and some comparisons are imprecise. For example, the city’s population in 2000 was more than double its 1900 figure, but “got excessive by more than double” does not express this clearly. Manhattan’s population did not decrease “as well as the total population” in 2000: the city total continued to rise while Manhattan’s own population fell. State the key contrast directly and distinguish population totals from percentages to make the summary more complete and clear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows a sensible sequence: it begins with the city total, then discusses Manhattan, and finishes with the other districts. This makes the information broadly easy to locate, and the time references help guide the reader. However, the organisation is mainly a series of descriptions rather than a clearly developed overview followed by supporting details. Some links are mechanical or confusing, such as “moreover” and “Where in 1800,” while the long Manhattan section combines several comparisons without clear sentence boundaries. Use a concise overview after the introduction, then group related figures and comparisons into shorter, well-linked sentences. Clearer referencing would also help distinguish the city total from Manhattan’s figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “population,” “increased,” “decreased,” and “percentage,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for a formal report. Phrases such as “got excessive,” “the second table show the intel,” and “at a total of” do not communicate the trends precisely. There are also spelling and number-formatting problems, including “demonstartes,” “fifure,” and “1,850.093.” Aim for standard reporting language and consistent presentation of figures. More precise verbs and collocations would make the comparisons clearer and more appropriately academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentence forms, and the reader can usually identify the intended comparisons. However, errors occur frequently in sentence construction, verb agreement, articles, and punctuation, which sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. For example, “The second table show” has incorrect subject–verb agreement, while “Where in 1800 the population…” is an incomplete sentence. The sentence beginning “In 2000 the population decreased…” also has an unclear structure and repeats “as well as.” Several sentences run together without appropriate spacing or punctuation. Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use shorter structures when comparing a population figure with its percentage.

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