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 provided tables illustrate the changes in the population of New York including five cities between1800 to 2000. The data is calibrated in percentages.
To commence, from 1800 to 2000, the proportion increased in the city as of in 1900 year, the population high by multiple 4 times to 1800 year. Whereas, in 2000 the population increased approximately doubled from 1900.
Explaining further, Manhattan city population as of percentage dropped out from 1800 to 2000 in which the year of 1800 makes 60,515 became increase in the year 2000 have 15,38,096. Moreover, in other districts like brooklyn, bronx, queens and staten island had huge difference in population from 1800 to 2000 as of 24%,46% and 81% respectively.
Overall, it is evident that the total count of New York City increased by ten times. No doubt, there is massive decrease in percentum of Manhattan from the year of 1800 to 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response attempts to summarise the data but fails to clearly distinguish between the total population figures and the percentage distribution of the districts. The interpretation of the data is inconsistent; for example, the claim that the population increased 'ten times' is not clearly supported by the provided tables. Furthermore, the mention of specific numbers like '60,515' and '15,38,096' is confusing because the prompt states the data is in percentages. The response lacks a clear overview of the main trends, and the reporting of figures is often inaccurate or poorly explained, leading to a lack of clarity regarding the actual changes in the districts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is hindered by confusing data presentation. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence', 'Explaining further', and 'Overall' are used, but they often feel mechanical or are used to introduce information that does not logically follow the previous point. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the districts, making it difficult to track which data point refers to which year or category. The flow between sentences is frequently interrupted by grammatical errors and unclear phrasing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and often imprecise. There is a reliance on basic terms, and some word choices are incorrect or non-standard, such as 'calibrated in percentages' (when referring to data presentation) and 'percentum'. The use of 'dropped out' to describe a population decrease is unnatural. While the student attempts to use some numerical terminology, the lack of precision in describing the trends limits the ability to convey information effectively. There is little evidence of a wide range of vocabulary appropriate for academic report writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'districts... had huge difference', and awkward sentence structures, for example, 'the population high by multiple 4 times to 1800 year'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, and the use of complex structures is limited and often faulty. While the meaning can generally be understood, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
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