Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-30

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 tabular charts illustrates changed in the count of residents of New York and changed in the community of the five district of the cities from 1800 to 2000.

It can be clearly seen that the total count of all the residents in five region in New York from year of 1800 that was 79,216 whereas, it was rapidly increased in 1900 by 3,437,202 but the count of 8,009,185 was observed as drastically rise in 2000 as compared other periods. In case of Manhattan region, 76% was highest total population Whereas, that was number of residents was 60,515 in 1800. In 1900, it showed as declined by 54% but it was increased by pop

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully address the task. While the introduction attempts to outline the data, the body paragraphs are incomplete and cut off mid-sentence. The summary of the main features is underdeveloped, and the comparison between the districts is fragmented. Because the response is unfinished, it cannot provide a comprehensive overview of the trends or make all necessary comparisons between the five districts over the two-century period. To improve, ensure all data points are covered and the response reaches the required length.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay lacks a clear logical progression due to its incomplete nature. While there is an attempt to use cohesive devices like 'whereas' and 'in case of', the mechanical errors and the abrupt ending hinder the flow of information. Paragraphing is attempted, but the second paragraph is underdeveloped and fails to connect the data points effectively. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the phrase 'that was number of residents', which makes the relationship between the data and the commentary difficult to follow. Improved sentence structure and better use of linking words would help create a more coherent response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'changed in the count' instead of 'changes in the number' and 'community of the five district' instead of 'population of the five districts'. The use of 'drastically rise' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'a drastic rise'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey basic meaning but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' and focusing on accurate collocations will improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'The three tabular charts illustrates' (subject-verb agreement error), 'changed in the count' (incorrect word form), and 'it showed as declined' (incorrect passive construction). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the existing sentences are often poorly constructed. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary capitalization in the middle of sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement, correct verb tenses for reporting data, and ensuring that sentences are complete and grammatically sound.

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