Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-24

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 tables illustrate the information about changes in total population growth in different cities of new York from 1800 to 2000. overall, higher population growth recorded in newyork in year 2000. manhattan districts had a high population as to remaining cities. At first, around 79,216 total population recorded in newyork city in 1800. but after the 100 years total population increased up to 3,437,202. and in the 2000 it increased up to 50% more than previous year. in year 2000, 19% of total population lived in manhattan district and remaining 81% lived in other districs.46% total population lived in other districts in the year 1900.

At second, 76% total population lived in manhattan and 24% lived in other districts in the year 1800. in comparison, in 1800's more population recorded in manhattan as compares to other districts. but the population percentages decreased in 2000 as compares to other districts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response attempts to address the task by summarizing the population data. However, it fails to clearly distinguish between the total population table and the district-specific tables. The data interpretation is inconsistent; for instance, the claim that the population increased by 50% in 2000 compared to the previous year is not supported by the provided figures. Furthermore, the response lacks a clear overview of the main trends, such as the significant shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts over the two centuries. The information is presented in a somewhat disjointed manner, making it difficult to follow the overall progression of the data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into two paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as 'At first' and 'At second', which are not appropriate for describing statistical trends. Referencing is often unclear, particularly when comparing percentages between years and districts. The transition between the total population data and the district-specific data is abrupt, and the lack of clear signposting makes it difficult for the reader to navigate the information provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'increased', 'lived', and 'recorded'. There are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'different cities of new York' (these are districts, not cities) and 'as to remaining cities'. The lack of variety in reporting verbs and descriptive language restricts the ability to convey the data with precision. While the meaning is generally understandable, the range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate a higher level of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with capitalization ('newyork', 'manhattan'), punctuation, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or lack proper subject-verb agreement, such as 'higher population growth recorded in newyork'. The use of complex structures is very limited, and the existing sentences are mostly simple or poorly constructed. These errors are persistent and occasionally impede the clarity of the information being presented, which is characteristic of the lower band levels.

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