Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-27
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 ilustrates the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000.
As for the first table it shows the whole population of New York city, while the second table illustrates only the population of Manhattan. On the other hand, the third table shows the population of other four districts of New York.
If we start with 1800. The population of New York city is 79,216 from which Manhattan covers the 76% of the total population and the other five districts covers only 24%.
By the start of 1900. The population of New York increases enormously by about 3.4 million. the district Manhattan covers the 54% of the total population while the other covers 46%.
In 2000. The population of New York is 8 million and we see a huge decrease in the percentage of Manhattan. Which only holds the 19% of total population.On the other hand, we see a gigantic increase in other districts. They hold almost the 81% of total population.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the main broad pattern: New York’s total population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. The figures you give for the percentages match the tables, and you include the key years. However, the response does not clearly compare the actual population counts for Manhattan and the other districts, and it omits the important fact that Manhattan’s population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 by 2000. The overview is also implicit rather than clearly stated. In addition, “other five districts” is inaccurate: Manhattan plus the four named districts make five in total. A clearer overview and more precise reporting of the population changes would make the summary more complete.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response follows the chronological order of the tables and separates the opening description from the year-by-year details, so the reader can follow the basic sequence. However, the organisation is not fully effective: the opening paragraphs repeat what each table contains instead of giving a concise overview of the main trends. Several transitions are mechanical, such as “If we start with 1800,” “By the start of 1900,” and “In 2000,” and the paragraph breaks after these introductory phrases interrupt the flow. The contrast between Manhattan and the other districts could be developed in a more consistent structure, with each period compared directly. Use a clear overview paragraph followed by logically grouped comparisons, and connect sentences without unnecessary breaks.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant vocabulary for describing change, including “increases enormously,” “huge decrease,” and “gigantic increase,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or too informal for an academic data summary. “Gigantic” is an exaggerated description, while “covers” and “holds” are not natural collocations for population shares. “Other four districts” is also unclear in context, and “decrease” does not accurately describe Manhattan’s percentage alone unless you specify that its share declined. Spelling errors such as “ilustrates” are noticeable. Aim for precise reporting verbs and neutral terms such as “accounted for,” “rose,” “declined,” and “share,” while checking spelling and avoiding repeated intensifiers.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response communicates its main points, but grammatical control is uneven and sentence structures are mostly simple. Several sentence fragments occur after full stops, including “If we start with 1800,” “By the start of 1900,” and “In 2000.” There are also errors in agreement and articles: “the other five districts covers” should use a plural verb, and “covers the 76%” does not need “the.” The sentence beginning “Which only holds…” is a fragment, and “total population.On” lacks a space after the full stop. These errors sometimes make the relationships between ideas less clear. Practise combining introductory time phrases with complete clauses and checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and punctuation; more accurate complex sentences would improve control.
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