Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-01

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 chart illustrate the changes in the total population in new york city from 1800 to 2000.

overall, in new york city the population increases in the year of 1800 about 79,216 after 100 year in 1900 it goes to double in number after 1900 in 2000 the individual number are 8,009,185 that is a huge difference in increased in population of the new york city for all five districts.

on the other hand, when we see the the total percentage of the people of manhattan in 1800 it was 76% that is a quite difference as compare to new york individual however, in 1900 that was 54% and in 2000 that was 19%.

therefore, other districks such as brooklyn, bronx, queens, staten island has different percentage like in 1800, numbers of individual was 24% in 1900, 46% same as for 2000 that was 81% increased.

in conclusion, there was minor difference but number of population increased rapidly with the passage of years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the broad rise in New York City’s population and report the changing shares of Manhattan and the other districts, so the response covers the main subject and includes relevant comparisons. However, the overview is not fully accurate: the population did not “go[] to double” between 1800 and 1900; it rose from 79,216 to 3,437,202, then reached 8,009,185 in 2000. You correctly show Manhattan’s share falling from 76% to 19% and the other districts’ share rising from 24% to 81%, but the actual population figures for these groups are omitted. The claim of a “minor difference” also conflicts with the substantial changes shown. Select and explain the key trends more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence: an introduction, an overall statement, details about Manhattan and the other districts, and a conclusion. This gives it some organisation, and phrases such as “on the other hand” and “therefore” attempt to connect ideas. However, progression is weakened by unclear or mechanical links, including “after 1900 in 2000” and “same as for 2000,” which make the comparisons difficult to follow. The conclusion repeats the general idea of population growth rather than synthesising the key contrast between Manhattan’s declining share and the other districts’ increasing share. Use clearer paragraphing and organise the details by trend, with each comparison explicitly tied to its year.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “percentage,” “increased,” and “districts,” and the reader can generally identify the topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “individual number,” “huge difference in increased,” and “total percentage of the people.” These expressions make the data description less precise. There are also spelling errors in “districks” and inconsistent capitalisation of place names. Aim for standard data-reporting language such as “population figure,” “accounted for,” and “share of the total,” and check spelling and proper nouns carefully. More precise vocabulary would help distinguish population totals from percentages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the main topic is usually understandable. However, sentence control is inconsistent, particularly in the long overview sentence: “the population increases in the year of 1800 about 79,216 after 100 year in 1900 it goes to double in number” lacks clear clause boundaries and has errors in tense, articles, and number agreement. Other examples include “the individual number are” and “other districts … has,” where subject–verb agreement is incorrect. Punctuation and capitalisation also need attention, especially at sentence beginnings and around clauses. Practise writing shorter, complete comparisons first, then combine them with accurate linking structures and consistent past-tense forms for the historical data.

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