Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-15

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 table provide data on changes in the total population of New York City from dating back to year 1800 to 2000. While, the another two tables depicts the data on population changes in the five districts of the city.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that the population in the manhattan district of New York City had delince in percentage. Whereas, other three districts had countnously increase in the percentage of the population.

To begin with, the population of New York City including all five districts is 79,216 in the year 1800 whereas, population in year 1900 increases dramtically reached 3,437,202 but after this, the population increases by almost 3 times of the population in year 1900 and reached to 8,009,185 in year 2000. Moreover, the percentage of total population in year 1800 is 76%, 54% in year 1900 and 19% in year 2000 is in Manhattan.

However, other 4 districts had 24% of total population in year 1800 while, 46% of total population that is 1,587,109 in the year 1900 and in the year 2000 the percentage of total population is 81% that is 6,[redacted phone], the highest among all the given five districts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main contrast: Manhattan’s share of the city population falls, while the combined share of the other districts rises, and you include relevant figures for all three years. The total population figures are also reported accurately. However, the overview says “other three districts,” although the table groups four other districts, and the response does not clearly report Manhattan’s population figures or explain that its population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 by 2000. The phrase “almost 3 times” is also imprecise: the 2000 total is a little over twice the 1900 total. Select and compare the key changes more accurately to make the summary fuller.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction to an overview and then to details, and the figures are generally presented in chronological order. However, progression within the detail paragraphs is not always clear: the total city population and Manhattan’s percentage are combined in one long section, while the other-district comparison is compressed into another. Linking words such as “Whereas,” “Moreover,” and “However” are sometimes used mechanically or with unclear relationships; for example, “However” does not introduce a genuine contrast in the final paragraph. Use separate, focused comparisons and connect them with more precise transitions. This would make the organisation easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” and “district,” so the topic is understandable. However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision: “delince,” “countnously,” and “dramtically” are difficult to process, while “the highest among all the given five districts” inaccurately describes a combined group. Some expressions are also unnatural, such as “dating back to year 1800” and “increases by almost 3 times.” Aim for accurate, conventional language for describing data and trends, and check spelling carefully. More precise verbs and comparison phrases would help you report the figures clearly without relying on repeated forms of “population” and “percentage.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “while” and “whereas,” but control is inconsistent, and errors occur frequently enough to make parts of the response awkward. For example, “The given table provide data” has subject–verb disagreement, and “the another two tables depicts” has problems with both the article and verb agreement. Several sentences also contain faulty punctuation or clause connections, such as “Whereas, other three districts…” and “in the year 1800 whereas, population…”. Use a wider range of sentence patterns, but first make basic agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries reliable. Breaking long sentences into clear comparisons will also reduce grammatical errors.

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