Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-25

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 depicts the changes in total population of New York city between the years 1800 and 2000.

The given data demonstrates that the population has increased markedly in New York city in years 1800 to 2000, Manhattan being the most populated district in 1980s while in 2000 other districts became the most populated as compared to manhattan

As far as manhattan is considered it was the most populated district in 1800 but as the years passed on its population percentage as compared to others decreased from 76% to 19% in 2000.

Population in districts other than Manhattan was only 24% of total population in the city and with time it kept increasing and reached to 81% of total population in year 2000 making these districts most populated in the city as compared to manhattan while in 1900 there was no major change in population between manhattan and other districts

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall change: New York’s population grew, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. The percentages you give for 1800 and 2000 are accurate, and you note that the other districts became dominant by 2000. However, the account is only partly developed: it omits the total population figures and the substantial rise in the other districts’ population, and it does not clearly report the 1900 comparison. The claim that there was “no major change” between Manhattan and the other districts in 1900 is imprecise: their shares were 54% and 46%, respectively. Also, “1980s” is not a year shown in the tables. A clearer overview and accurate comparisons across all three dates would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic progression from an introduction to Manhattan and then the other districts, and phrases such as “as the years passed on” and “while in 2000” help signal change and contrast. However, the organisation is not fully clear: the overview is placed in a long second paragraph, and the final paragraph repeats the shift in population share rather than adding a distinct comparison. Several sentences run together, especially the final one, making relationships between ideas harder to follow. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and the key comparisons, and organise the figures chronologically. More precise linking and reference would also help readers follow which population or percentage is being discussed.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing change, including “increased markedly,” “decreased,” and “reached,” and the terms “population” and “percentage” suit the task. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, such as “most populated” and “population percentage as compared to others.” “No major change” also understates the difference between the two groups in 1900. More precise language for shares and comparisons would improve clarity and control. For example, describe Manhattan’s proportion as its “share of the city’s population,” and use “accounted for” or “represented” when reporting percentages. Check capitalisation of “New York City” and “Manhattan” as well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt some longer structures, including clauses introduced by “while” and “as,” but the response relies heavily on extended sentences, and errors sometimes make the relationships between ideas unclear. For example, “The given data demonstrates that the population has increased … in years 1800 to 2000” has an awkward tense and missing article/preposition; “in the years from 1800 to 2000” would be more accurate. The sentence beginning “As far as manhattan is considered” is also awkwardly formed, and the final sentence needs clearer punctuation or division into shorter sentences. Use past tense consistently for these historical figures, and check articles, sentence boundaries, and capitalisation.

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