Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-04

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 three maps illustrates the population in three different cites in different ways duratation of 1800 to 2000 in Newyork, Manhattan and other districts.

Overall, the population is sharply increases in all the places in the time period of 300 year.

In the New York population is terribly increase it become approxmaitly double in every 100 year. In 1800 its population is 79,216 nad just pass the century it become 3,437,202 and in 2000 its population is 8,009,185. In the Manhattan population is 76% of its total in 1800 and after passage of time it decrease to 54% . In 2000 19% population of whole whole new York live in Manhattan.

Other districts of new york population contribute 24% of total population in New York at 1800. Ater a century its increase by 46% and in the 2000 it become 81% of it

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You report the main overall growth in New York’s population and the changing shares of Manhattan and the other districts, using several accurate figures, including the city totals and Manhattan’s 76%, 54% and 19%. However, the overview is imprecise: the population did not increase in every place, since Manhattan’s population fell between 1900 and 2000, and “double in every 100 year” does not accurately describe the figures. The other districts’ actual populations are omitted, so this comparison is only partly developed. Also, the response is 143 words, below the required 150. Add a concise comparison of the district populations and clarify that Manhattan’s share declined while the other districts’ share rose.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs covering the city total and district shares. The sequence from 1800 to 2000 is generally easy to follow, and time markers such as “In 1800” and “in 2000” help orient the reader. However, the progression is weakened by unclear or repetitive phrasing, including “in the Manhattan population” and “19% population of whole whole new York.” The final paragraph ends abruptly without a complete comparison or concluding detail. Use clearer topic sentences and link the district figures explicitly—for example, contrast Manhattan’s declining share with the other districts’ rising share—to make the relationships between points more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “total,” “percentage,” and “decrease,” so the basic subject is clear. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate word choices or collocations make the report less precise: “maps” is unsuitable for tables, “terribly increase” is unnatural, and “contribute 24%” does not clearly express population share. Spelling and word-form errors such as “cites,” “duratation,” “approxmaitly,” and “Ater” are also noticeable and can distract the reader. Choose standard data-reporting language and check spelling carefully. More precise verbs such as “rose,” “accounted for,” and “declined” would help describe the figures accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, and the figures are often placed in a comprehensible sequence. However, grammatical control is limited, with frequent errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “The three maps illustrates” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “the population is sharply increases” combines incompatible verb forms. “In the New York population is…” also lacks a clear grammatical structure, and “in the 2000 it become 81%” has an incorrect tense and article use. Practise forming accurate past-tense comparisons, such as “The city’s population rose from … to …,” and check each sentence for a clear subject and correctly formed verb.

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