Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-31

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 gives information about the total population of New York city from 1800 to 2000, while the second table shows the changes in poulation for Manhattan and the third table shows changes for other districts namely Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island over the same period.

Overall, Population of New York city has increased significantly throughout the years. Among the five districts, Manhattan accounted for the largest population at the start of the period. However proportion of other districts increased gradually throughout the period.

Manhattan hold the highest proportion among the five distirct in 1800 with 76% and 60,515 population. However, these numbers decline throughout the period as the share of Manhattan decreased significanlty to 54% in 1900 and just 19% in 2000.

Other districts started with a population of just 18701, which accounted for only 24% of the total population. The share of other distircts increased gradually, as in 1900 46% of the population belonged to other districts in comparision with 54% of Manhattan. However, in 2000, population in other districts increased steadily and accounted for 81% of the total population in comparision with only 19% of the Manhattan district.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population grew, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. The figures you give for Manhattan and the combined other districts match the tables, and the comparison between their shares in 1900 and 2000 is relevant. However, the overview could be more complete by reporting the city’s total population at the beginning and end, or its substantial growth from 79,216 to 8,009,185. Some descriptions are also imprecise: “increased gradually” does not capture the scale of the change, and the other districts’ population is not given for 1900 or 2000. More precise coverage of the total figures and the changing absolute populations would make the summary more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for Manhattan and the other districts. This makes the main comparison easy to follow. Linking words such as “Overall,” “However,” and “as” help connect ideas, but their use becomes repetitive, and the repeated contrast between the districts could be organised more efficiently. Some references are also unclear: “these numbers” refers to both population and percentage, while “the share of other districts increased gradually” is followed by figures without a clear explanation of the change. Grouping the key comparisons by year, and using more precise references such as “Manhattan’s share,” would improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing tables and trends, including “accounted for,” “proportion,” “decline,” and “increased.” These choices communicate the main comparisons, but the range is somewhat repetitive, particularly with repeated uses of “population,” “share,” and “increased.” Some collocations are imprecise: “Manhattan hold the highest proportion” and “population in other districts increased steadily” could be expressed more naturally. There are also spelling errors, including “poulation,” “distirct,” “significanlty,” and “comparision,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise trend language and check spelling carefully; for example, distinguish a rise in the number of residents from a rise in the percentage of the city’s population.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while,” “as,” and “However,” and the overall meaning remains clear. Some grammatical errors persist, especially in verb forms and sentence construction. For example, “Manhattan hold” should be “Manhattan held,” and “as in 1900 46% of the population belonged…” needs clearer punctuation and phrasing, such as “By 1900, 46% of the population belonged…”. Capitalisation is inconsistent in “Population” after the overview’s opening comma, and the final comparison would be clearer with “compared with Manhattan’s 19% share.” Continue using complex structures, but check tense consistency, articles, and punctuation when revising.

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