Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 illustratues the changes in the total population of the NewYork City between the time period of 1800 to 2000. While the second and third tables provide a detailed evidence about the population changes in the city as a result of population changes in five of the major districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, State Island) over the same years.

Overall, the New York City has seen a sharp increase in population from 1800 to 2000, four districts except Manhattan contributing to this major increase in population greatly. On the other hand, Manhattan's population decreased in 2000 after increasing in 1900.

All four states; Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island comprises the major part of population of the New York City. In these districts, the population increased with the coming years. With the greatest increase in population observed in 2000.

Manhattan, on the other hand faced a decline in population after 1800. In 1800, most of the popluation of New York City was living in this district. However; the status of most populated district changed from Manhattan to the other four districts in 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population rose substantially, while Manhattan’s population eventually fell and the other districts became more dominant. The comparison between Manhattan and the other four districts is relevant, and you correctly note that Manhattan held most of the city’s population in 1800. However, some key details are unclear or inaccurate: Manhattan did not decline after 1800, but increased from 60,515 in 1800 to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 in 2000. The statement that all four other districts “comprise the major part” is not supported for 1800, when they accounted for only 24%. Include selected figures and make the changing shares more precise to develop the summary fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure, moving from an introduction to an overview and then to the other districts and Manhattan. Contrast markers such as “On the other hand” and “However” help signal comparisons, and the reader can follow the main topic. Some links are less effective or repetitive: “population changes” is repeated in the introduction, while “With the greatest increase in population observed in 2000” is a fragment rather than a complete continuation of the previous idea. The final paragraph also repeats the shift in dominance already mentioned in the overview. To improve progression, organise the body around the key comparison in the tables and connect each claim directly to a relevant year or share.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “sharp increase,” “decline,” “contributing,” and “most populated district,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are imprecise or awkward, such as “a detailed evidence,” “as a result of population changes,” and “the coming years.” There are also spelling errors in “illustratues,” “NewYork,” “popluation,” and “State Island”; the correct district name is Staten Island. Repetition of “population” also limits flexibility. Aim for accurate, natural phrases such as “population figures,” “accounted for,” and “over the period,” and check spelling and district names carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a complex opening with “While” and contrastive sentences beginning “On the other hand.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “All four states … comprises” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “With the greatest increase … observed in 2000” is an incomplete sentence. The opening sentence also uses an awkward time construction (“between the time period of 1800 to 2000”), and punctuation around “However” is faulty. Build accuracy by checking agreement and ensuring each sentence has a complete main clause; for example, join the fragment to the preceding sentence and use “from 1800 to 2000.”

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