Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-17

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 tables below illustrate the population difference over three centuries, from 1800 to 2000 for five districts of the New York City.

Overall, the number peoples excelled so much in New York City (all five districts). Manhattan shows the most increase in population, other districts showed a combined population in contrast to Manhattan.

The New york city population for all five districts was 79,216 in 1800 which a jump to 3,437,202 in 1900 and 8,009,185 in 2000. As of Manhattan separately, the number of individuals were 60,515 in 1980 with 76% of overall population. It went to 1,850,096 with 54% as the total population in 1900 and remained at 1,538,096 having 19% as the combined population in 2000.

Other disctricts ( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) has 18,701 people in 1800 as 24% of total population. In 1900, it went up and reched 1,587,109 with 46% as the general population. It peaked with 81% overall population, 6,471, 089 in 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You report the overall population figures and compare Manhattan with the other four districts, including their changing shares of the city total. The key broad pattern is present: the combined other districts grew strongly, while Manhattan’s share fell. However, the overview is unclear and includes a major misinterpretation: “Manhattan shows the most increase” is not supported, since its population fell between 1900 and 2000, while the other districts rose substantially. There are also factual inaccuracies: Manhattan’s 1800 figure is assigned to 1980 rather than 1800, and the 1900 figure is given as 1,850,096 instead of 1,850,093. Clarify the contrasting trends and ensure each figure is accurately linked to its year.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the total population and the district groups. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and phrases such as “In 1900” help signal time changes. However, the overview does not clearly state the main contrast, and the sentence “Manhattan shows the most increase in population, other districts showed a combined population in contrast to Manhattan” is difficult to follow. Some links are also mechanical or unclear, such as “As of Manhattan separately” and “It went up.” Use more precise references and connect the comparisons explicitly—for example, explain that Manhattan’s population peaked in 1900, whereas the other districts continued to grow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “overall population,” “combined,” and “peaked,” and the reader can generally identify the groups being compared. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing statistics. “The number peoples excelled so much” does not convey population growth clearly; “excelled” usually describes achievement. “As the combined population” is also unsuitable for Manhattan’s share, and “general population” is vague. Spelling errors such as “disctricts” and “reched,” along with inconsistent capitalization of “New York,” reduce precision. Prefer standard reporting language such as “increased,” “accounted for,” “share,” and “the remaining districts,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple statements and longer comparisons, and several figures are presented in understandable sentence patterns. However, the range is limited, and errors recur in sentence construction, agreement, articles, and tense. For example, “which a jump to” is missing a verb, while “Other disctricts … has” has a subject–verb agreement problem. The phrase “the number of individuals were” also mismatches its singular subject, and “the New York City” uses an unnecessary article. Some sentences join contrasting ideas without clear grammatical links, making the overview harder to understand. Practise accurate comparative structures, such as “Manhattan’s population rose to …, then fell to …,” and check each sentence for a complete verb and correct subject agreement.

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