Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-28

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 compares the changes in the total population from the year 1800 to 2000. The second and third table demostrate the changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same period.

Overall, the the first table show the population in number which is increasing rapaidly and the socond table show increase in percentage of mahattan district where the population increase dramatically but it has a huge increase in 1800 then the percentage starts decreasing and in third the parcentage of total population increase rapaidly and it is highest at 2000.

To begin with first table, in 1800 Newyork had the total population of 79,216 which increased in in 1900 and become 3,437,202 and in last year 2000 it become 8,009,185. Now the table two, which show the population and parcentage of increase in population in manhattan. At first year of 1800 its total population is 60,515 and its increasing percentage is 76% and then in 1900 the total populations 1,850,093 which increase which the rate of 54% futher in last year 2000 it is become 1,538,096 which had the percentage of 19%. In this district of New York the percentage of population decrease rapaidly.

Now the table three, in year 1800 these districts had the population of 18,701 with the percentage of 24% and in1900 the population increases to 46% and become 1,587,109 but these districts shows a huge change in 2000 and become 6,471,089 with the percentage of 81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main data sets and include relevant figures for all three years. The clearest feature is the overall rise in New York’s population, from 79,216 in 1800 to 8,009,185 in 2000, alongside Manhattan’s declining share and the other districts’ growing share. However, the overview is unclear in places: saying Manhattan’s population “increase[s] dramatically” does not capture that its actual population fell between 1900 and 2000, even as its percentage share declined. Some comparisons are also underdeveloped, particularly the contrast between Manhattan and the other districts. Make the overview more precise, distinguish population totals from percentages, and highlight the key reversal after 1900.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the total population and district figures. This helps the reader locate the information. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow, and the repeated transitions “Now the table two” and “Now the table three” make the organisation mechanical. Some links between figures are unclear, as in “in 1900 the population increases to 46% and become 1,587,109,” where the percentage and population are presented in a confusing order. Group the figures consistently by year or by district, use clear comparison links such as “whereas” and “by contrast,” and ensure each paragraph develops one main comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “district,” and “increased,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several words or phrases are repeated, especially “population,” “increase,” and “become.” Some choices are imprecise: “increasing percentage” is not a natural way to describe a district’s share, and “huge change” does not specify the direction or scale of the change. Spelling errors such as “demostrate,” “rapaidly,” “socond,” and “parcentage” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise range for describing trends and proportions, and check spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the main figures can usually be understood. However, control is inconsistent, particularly with subject–verb agreement, articles, and verb forms. For example, “the first table show” should be “the first table shows,” while “in last year 2000 it become” needs a more accurate tense and article structure, such as “by 2000, it had reached.” Several sentences join ideas without clear grammatical links, including the sentence beginning “At first year of 1800.” Use past-tense forms consistently for the historical data, check singular and plural subjects, and divide long sentences where the relationships between figures become unclear. More accurate sentence patterns would make your comparisons easier to follow.

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