Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19

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 first table gives overall population data of New York between 1800 and 2000. While second and third table provides individual data of five districts in New York over the period.

Overall, New york population illustrated massive growth over the decades. Manhattan had the most amount of residents earlier, but after it got reduced. While other four districts showed significant increase in town's population.

Initially, in total New York had just less than 80 thousand citizens in 1800s, and it was increased over 3 million in 1900s. In 2000, it had a massive growth of 5 million (8 million in total).

In 1800, Manhattan had over 60 thousand (76%), which was the second highest in overall data. Later in 1900s, a population had an notable increase of 1.8 million. At the end, The population was declined by the 19% (1.5 million).

On the other side, rest of the districts shown gradual combined increase in 1800,1900 and 2000 approximately 24% (over 18k plus), 46%(over 1.5 million) and 81%(over 6 million) respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main contrast: Manhattan dominated the population in 1800, while the other districts’ combined share grew substantially by 2000. You also include relevant figures for all three years and note the city’s overall expansion. However, some details are unclear or imprecise. For example, “a massive growth of 5 million” does not clearly state that the total rose from about 3.4 million in 1900 to about 8 million in 2000. The overview also says Manhattan’s population “got reduced” without making clear that its absolute population peaked in 1900 and then fell, while its share declined throughout. Develop these key comparisons more explicitly and distinguish population totals from percentages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs covering the city total and district populations. This gives the reader a generally coherent route through the information. Some links between ideas are less clear, however. The overview’s sentence beginning “While other four districts” is a fragment, and “On the other side” does not establish a precise contrast with the preceding paragraph. The sequence of figures in the final paragraph is understandable but compressed into one sentence, making the comparisons harder to follow. Use complete sentences and organise the district data around a clear comparison—for example, Manhattan’s changing share versus the combined share of the other districts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “overall population,” “significant increase,” “declined,” and “combined increase.” These choices make the general trends understandable. However, several expressions are imprecise or unnatural for a statistical report: “most amount of residents,” “town’s population,” and “a massive growth of 5 million.” Repetition of “massive” also makes the description less measured. There are occasional word-form and spelling issues, such as “New york” and “shown” where a past-tense form is needed; these affect lexical control. Aim for precise terms such as “population share,” “rose by,” and “accounted for,” and use neutral language rather than evaluative intensifiers.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including the contrast introduced by “While” and the time sequence marked by “Initially,” “Later,” and “At the end.” However, sentence control is uneven, and some errors make relationships between ideas less clear. “While second and third table provides” lacks an article and has subject–verb disagreement; “While other four districts showed” is an incomplete clause. There are also problems with articles and verb forms in “a population had an notable increase,” and the sentence “In 2000, it had a massive growth of 5 million” is awkwardly constructed. Practise complete clause structures, agreement, and consistent past-tense reporting, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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