Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-01
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 tabular chart elucidates the information regarding alteration took place in the count density of New York in year 1800 to 2000. The given tabular chart illustrates modify in the population of specific five districts of city over unchanged period.
Overall it is apparent that the maximum citizen was noticed in last given year whereas Manhattan , lowest proportion of population accounted in provided same year.
To begin with it can be seen that the count of population in New york during the year 1800, 1900, 2000 were 79,216 , 3,437,202, 8,009,195
respectively. The percentage of residents in Manhattan was neither more than 76% nor less than 19%. Moreover, the percentile of remaining district in New york was not less than 24%.
Turning towards the further data , it can be observed that the figure of other district such as Brooklyn , Bronx , Queens, Staten island was more than 18,701 in all the years.
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 address the task but fails to provide a clear or accurate summary of the main features. While it mentions the total population figures, it fails to meaningfully compare the districts or describe the trends over the 200-year period. The analysis is superficial and contains inaccurate interpretations of the data, such as the claim that Manhattan had the lowest proportion of population in 2000, which is not supported by the provided tables. The response lacks a clear overview of the significant growth trends across the districts, resulting in an under-developed response that does not fully report the main features as required by the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is weak. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with' and 'Turning towards', but they are sometimes used mechanically or inappropriately given the content that follows. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the logical flow between the general population data and the district-specific data is disjointed. While the paragraphing is present, the internal coherence of the paragraphs is hindered by the lack of clear, logical connections between the data points presented.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is limited and often inaccurate. There are frequent errors in word choice and word formation, such as 'alteration took place in the count density' instead of 'population changes', and 'percentile' used incorrectly to refer to percentages. The phrase 'maximum citizen was noticed' is unnatural and imprecise. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the information with the necessary precision for an Academic Task 1 response. The student struggles to use appropriate terminology for describing data trends, which limits the clarity of the report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a high frequency of grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with article usage ('in year 1800', 'in New york'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. For example, 'the percentile of remaining district in New york was not less than 24%' is grammatically awkward and confusing. The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with some attempts at more complex ones that are often faulty. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas and the use of capital letters for proper nouns.
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