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 tables compares the changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000 and the second and third table represents the change in the population of five districts of the city.

The first table shows that how population is increased during the time period of 18th to 20th century. Finally in second and third table there is compariosn of percentage of the total population between the districts.

The population in 1800 is rose up to 3,437,202 in 1900 and then also reached at its peak in 2000 whcih is 8,009,185. Finally this shows that there is high percentage of increase in the population of New York City. Secondly, Manhattan district consist of the 76 percent of the total population in 1800 which is 60,515, and then drop ti 54 percent in 1900 and agian decreased and shares the 19 percent of total population. Howerver, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island consist of 24 percent of the whole population in 1800 increased upto 46 percent in 1900 and agian reached at its peak which is 81 percent of the whole population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population grew substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other four districts’ share rose. The figures you give for the total in 1900 and 2000, and the district percentages, match the tables. However, the account is uneven: the 1800 total is not stated, and the district population figures are mostly omitted after Manhattan’s 1800 figure. The phrase “increased during the time period” is also vague, and “reached at its peak” does not explain that the other districts’ population rose to 6,471,089 by 2000. Include a concise overview and compare both population totals and shares to report the key features more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly sensible order, moving from the tables’ subject to the citywide trend and then to Manhattan and the other districts. This gives the reader a basic progression. However, the opening two paragraphs repeat what the tables show rather than establishing a clear overview, and the final paragraph combines several comparisons in a long sequence. Connectors such as “Finally,” “Secondly,” and “However” are sometimes mechanical or do not clearly signal the relationship between points. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and the detailed comparisons, and group the figures by year or by Manhattan versus the other districts. Clearer referencing would also make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “total population,” “percentage,” “increased,” and “decreased,” so the topic remains understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “population is increased,” “shares the 19 percent,” and “reached at its peak.” Repetition of “population” and “whole population” also makes the description less precise. Spelling errors, including “compariosn,” “whcih,” and “Howerver,” are noticeable and reduce the accuracy of the writing. Aim for standard data-reporting phrases and check spelling carefully; this will make your comparisons more natural and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a sentence contrasting Manhattan’s declining share with the rise in the other districts. However, control is inconsistent. The opening “The tables compares” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “the second and third table represents” also needs agreement and a plural noun. Verb forms are problematic in “The population in 1800 is rose up to 3,437,202” and “increased upto 46 percent.” Articles and sentence construction are also awkward in “Manhattan district consist of the 76 percent.” These errors sometimes make the timeline and comparisons harder to interpret. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and agreement, and build complex comparisons from shorter, well-controlled clauses.

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