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 provided tables illustrate the total population change in New Yourk City and change in percentage of total population in all five districts: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, of the city between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, the change in total population of New York City is the highest in last year, whilst Manhattan logged the highest population change in second decade. Other district recorded the subsequent change in population in last year.

Examining the tables in detail, changes in total population of New York City documented 79,216 in 1800 and increased to 8,009,185 in year 2000. In contrast, Manhattan recorded 76% total population in 1800 with 60,515 people. The change increased the total number of individuals to 1,850,093 but decreased the percentage to 54% in year 1900. In 2000, The number of people and percentage of total population both registered a decline and logged about 1,538,096 and to 19%, respectively.

Other districts, the number of citizens recorded 18,701 and percentage was 24% in 1800, both registered a considerable rise, and documented about 6,471,089 and 81%, in the year 2000, respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad population growth and include relevant figures for Manhattan and the other districts, but the overview is unclear and contains a key misreading: Manhattan did not have its greatest population change in the “second decade”; the table compares 1800, 1900 and 2000, and its population peaked in 1900 before falling. The total population figure for 1900, 3,437,202, is also omitted, making the citywide trend less fully reported. Your final paragraph gives the other districts’ 1800 and 2000 figures but leaves out their 1900 data, so this change is only partly described. A clearer overview should state that the city grew throughout, while Manhattan’s share declined and the other districts’ share rose markedly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. This gives the reader a coherent overall route through the information, and phrases such as “In contrast” help signal comparison. However, progression is weakened by the overview’s unclear reference to the “second decade” and by the final paragraph, which jumps from 1800 directly to 2000 without explaining the 1900 position. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “recorded,” “registered” and “documented.” The opening sentence is crowded with the district names and does not clearly distinguish the tables’ subjects. Grouping the figures by period or by contrasting Manhattan with the other districts, and using more precise references, would make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “considerable rise” and “decline,” so the main topic is generally clear. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing table data: “logged the highest population change,” “second decade,” and “the subsequent change in population in last year” do not express the intended comparisons precisely. “Change” is also repeated where “population,” “share” or “proportion” would be more suitable. There is a spelling error in “New Yourk,” and “Other district” is not correctly formed for the plural meaning. Aim for standard data-reporting collocations and check spelling and number forms; this would make your descriptions more precise and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast introduced by “In contrast” and a sentence describing changes across two years. Meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors reduce clarity. For example, “Other district recorded” has a singular–plural mismatch, while “in year 2000” and “in last year” omit necessary articles or determiners. The sentence beginning “Other districts, the number of citizens…” lacks a clear grammatical connection between its opening phrase and the main clause. In “both registered a considerable rise, and documented,” the coordination is also awkward. Use complete subject–verb structures, check articles before years, and keep parallel clauses grammatically balanced.

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