Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-03
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)
From the year 1800 to 2000, Newyork City has significantly increased its population. The growth between 1900 to 2000 is greater than growth from 1800 to 1900 which therefore displays that the rate of population growth has increased. Manhattan, a city of New York has also faced an increased but only on the first century as in the second, there was a decrease. In terms of percentage Manhattan accomodated about 79% of the city's population but for the past 2 centuries the percentage has reduced to 19%. On the other hand, districts like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island have seen to accomodate a greater population of the city from 24% to 81%. This therefore exhibits that most of the cities population prefered these 4 districts over Manhattan!
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the response. While you have identified some main features, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts, the analysis is quite brief. The task requires a more detailed comparison of the data provided in the three tables. By only providing a short summary, you have not fully explored the trends across the different time periods or provided a comprehensive overview of the data. To improve, ensure you include a clear introduction, a detailed body paragraph, and a concluding overview that synthesizes the key findings.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is presented as a single paragraph, which lacks the necessary structure for an IELTS Task 1 report. While there is a basic logical flow, the lack of paragraphing makes the text feel rushed and underdeveloped. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'This therefore exhibits', but the overall organization is insufficient. To achieve a higher score, you should organize your response into clear paragraphs: an introduction, a clear overview of the main trends, and specific body paragraphs that group related data points together. Improving the use of linking words will also help the ideas flow more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. You use basic terms like 'increased' and 'growth' repeatedly. There are also some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Newyork' (New York) and 'accomodated' (accommodated). To improve, try to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'plummeted', or 'accounted for'. Using more precise terminology will help you convey the data more effectively and demonstrate a better command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that affect the clarity of your writing. For example, 'Manhattan, a city of New York has also faced an increased but only on the first century' is grammatically awkward and contains preposition errors. Additionally, 'most of the cities population prefered' contains a punctuation error (missing apostrophe in 'city's') and a spelling error ('prefered' should be 'preferred'). To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed accurately to avoid confusion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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