Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-05

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 date of increase in population in the city New York and categorised into five districts from the time period of 1800 to 2000. the data is given in form of numbers and percentage.

Overall, there was a drastic increase in all the city of New York. There was a incline of more than 100 times seen in the last year However, manhattan population was covered a major area of the all over growth of the city New York

First of all, the citizens of New York city was 79,216 in 1800. which experienced a rapid incline in the year 1900 with 3,437,202 number of people. Moreover, in the last stage of given period it reached to 8,009,185 individuals which was more than 100 times of starting stage. Although Manhattan was the only district which played a vital role in the whole citizens growth of New York. it covered the 76% of population of complete New York city in 1800, which also got decrease by the the and it reached to 19% from total population in 2000.

On the other hand, rest of the other districts such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island also played a crucial role in the growth of individuals. district except Manhattan was covered 24% of population contribution in 1800, which tend to increase to 46% in 1900. In last, it reached to the 81% of total population of New York

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main trends and provides relevant data points from the tables. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify the overall population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts, the reporting of specific figures is occasionally imprecise or confusing (e.g., the claim that Manhattan 'covered 76% of population' in 1800 is not clearly supported by the provided table structure). To reach a higher band, ensure that data comparisons are more accurate and that the 'main features' are highlighted with greater clarity. The overview is present but could be more concise and focused on the most significant shifts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'First of all' and 'In last'. Some transitions between sentences are abrupt, and the referencing (e.g., 'it reached to the 81%') is occasionally unclear regarding what 'it' refers to. While the progression of ideas is generally logical, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their intended subjects to avoid ambiguity.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'drastic increase', 'rapid incline', and 'vital role'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'date of increase' instead of 'population growth' and 'last stage of given period'. Additionally, there are minor errors in word formation, such as 'the the' and 'the citizens of New York city was'. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate for a formal report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('citizens... was', 'Manhattan population was covered') and article usage ('the city New York', 'the last year'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences or fragments (e.g., '1800. which experienced...'). These errors occur throughout the text. To achieve a higher score, you need to demonstrate better control over complex structures and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical slips that distract the reader.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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