Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-24

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)

We can see the growth of the New York city population over the 3 centuries. New York is the city which is divided into 5 districts. In 1800 New York had a population of 79,216 people and out all the distrcits Manhattan had the 76% of the total population. After a century New York population has grown more than 4 times and Manhattan still has the 54% of the population and all other 4 districts had remaining population of the city. People tends to live more in Manhattan district but after another centuray popultion has grown at a fewer rate than prevoius century with approx. 2x growth. In this increase of the city population people moved out of the Manhattan and spread into 4 districts. In 2000, the poupltion share of Manhattan has dropped to 19% as compared to 54%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad pattern: the city grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell from 76% to 19%. You also include the 1800 total and the 1900 Manhattan share, so the response is relevant to the tables. However, key comparisons are incomplete or inaccurate: the city did not grow “more than 4 times” from 1800 to 1900; its population rose to over 43 times its original size. The 1900–2000 increase was about 2.3 times, and Manhattan’s population actually fell from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096. The claim that people “moved out” is not established by the tables, which show population distribution rather than migration. There is no clear, complete overview, and the response is 10 words below the required minimum. Add the total figures and describe the main shifts precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly chronological order, moving from 1800 to 1900 and then 2000, and phrases such as “After a century” help signal the time sequence. However, it is presented as one continuous paragraph, so the overview and supporting comparisons are not clearly separated. Several links between ideas are also awkward: “In this increase of the city population” does not clearly explain the relationship, and “as compared to 54%” leaves the comparison point unclear. The repeated use of “and” makes some sentences feel like a list rather than a developed summary. Organise the response into an introduction, a concise overview, and a paragraph comparing the periods, using clear references to the figures and districts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “population,” “districts,” “total population,” “share,” and “grown,” which allows the reader to understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are unnatural, such as “at a fewer rate,” “had the 76%,” and “spread into 4 districts.” Spelling errors—including “distrcits,” “centuray,” and “poupltion”—are noticeable and reduce the accuracy of the report. “People moved out” is also too definite for data that only compares population totals and shares. Aim for precise terms such as “increased,” “accounted for,” and “the remaining districts,” and check spelling carefully. Vary the language used to describe rises and changes in proportions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the chronological sequence is generally understandable. However, errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms are frequent enough to make parts of the report awkward. For example, “out all the distrcits Manhattan had the 76%” has an unclear structure and incorrect article use, while “People tends to live” has a subject–verb agreement error. Tense control is also inconsistent in “population has grown” and “people moved out,” and the final sentence lacks a clear comparison structure. Use past simple consistently for the historical figures, check singular and plural agreement, and build comparisons with complete patterns such as “Manhattan’s share fell from 54% to 19%.” Punctuate and separate the main points into clear sentences.

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