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 table illustrates the difference in the total population of NewYork City from the year 1800 to 2000.Following this, there are other two tables depicting the changes of population in the 5 districts of New York City over the same period.
Overall, the population of the New York city has increased significantly over the years.
Initially , the population of New York City was 79,216 but later it increased significantly to almost 8 times in 2000 (8,009,185).In the year 1800 there were 60,515 people in Manhattan which consists upto three-fourth of the total population.Later after sudden fluctuations in the fraction of population, it increased about 25 times to 1,538,096 which accumulated 19% of the total population in 2000.
Furthermore , if we talk about the proportion of population inside the other districts of New York City other than Manhattan ,it was observed a gradual increase in the number of ratio of people .The population increased from 18,701 in 1800 to 6,471,089 ,which accounted almost 81% of the total population in 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in Manhattan's proportion. However, the task requires reporting on all five districts. By grouping the other four districts into a single category ('other districts'), you have failed to provide the specific data for Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, which is a key requirement of the prompt. While the overview is clear, the lack of detail regarding the individual districts means the response is only partially developed. To improve, ensure you select and report on the most significant data points for each category provided in the tables rather than generalizing them.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'Initially' are used to guide the reader. However, the progression of ideas is slightly hindered by the lack of specific data for the individual districts, making the comparison feel incomplete. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the total population and the specific districts could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal flow within the final paragraph is somewhat repetitive in its phrasing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts at using terms like 'fluctuations,' 'proportion,' and 'accumulated.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'number of ratio of people' and 'consists upto,' which are not natural English expressions. Spelling errors like 'NewYork' (missing space) also detract from the overall quality. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring correct collocations when describing statistical changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'there are other two tables' (should be 'the other two') and 'it was observed a gradual increase' (passive voice error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'Initially ,'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex structures and proofreading for basic punctuation and subject-verb agreement would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.