Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-02

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 below three tables gives the information of population changes in the districts Manhattan,Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens and Staten Island of New York City in the year 1800,1900 and 2000.

Overall the population in the New York City has increased dramatically. While in Manhttan the number of people decresed and on the other hand another four cities had a gradual increase.

The population in New York City has increased dramtically from 79,216 in year 1800 to 8,009,185 in year 2000.The Manhattan disctrict of NYC had a decline in the population from 76% in 1800 to 19% in 2000 the share of manhattan in NYC had declined.

On the other hand the another four districts of New York City had a grrowth in the population from 24% in 1800 to 81% in 2000.These four districts has the higher share in the population of New York City compared to the Manhattan district which is very less.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population rose substantially, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other four districts’ share increased. The figures you give for the city total and the percentage shares are accurate. However, the account is only partly developed: it does not report the key population figures for Manhattan and the other districts, including Manhattan’s rise to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 in 2000. Saying Manhattan’s population “decreased” without this middle-year comparison is misleading, since it first grew sharply. The overview is relevant, but the district trends and comparisons need fuller, more precise reporting.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the city total and district groups. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression is limited: the final two paragraphs largely repeat the overview’s contrast between Manhattan and the other districts, rather than developing a clear comparison across all three years. Linking phrases such as “On the other hand” help signal contrast, but “the another four districts” is unclear, and the repeated use of “population” and “share” makes the connections feel mechanical. Organise the details chronologically or by district group, and use clearer references to the figures being compared.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “increased dramatically,” “decline,” “share,” and “compared to,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice or spelling problems reduce precision: “another four cities” incorrectly describes districts, “had a grrowth” contains a spelling error, and “which is very less” is an unnatural way to describe a smaller share. “Population” and “increased” are also repeated frequently. Aim for accurate terms such as “the other four districts,” “accounted for,” and “rose,” and check spelling carefully. More varied, precise language would make the comparisons clearer without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including the contrast in “While in Manhattan…” and the sentence beginning “These four districts…”. However, errors are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. For example, “The below three tables gives” has subject–verb disagreement, while “These four districts has” repeats this problem. Articles and sentence construction are also unreliable in “the population in the New York City” and “While in Manhattan the number of people decresed and on the other hand…”. Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly around introductory phrases and district names. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, articles, and complete sentence structures before adding more complex clauses.

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