Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-06
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)
New York city is a heart of the United States of America. New York city is densely populated. From year [redacted phone], the population of new york city has increased over time. In 1800, the population was 79,216. In 1900 and 2000, the population was 3,437,202 and 8,009,185 respectively.
In Manhattan, the percentage of total population is 76% which is 60,515 by year 1800. By year 1900, the percentage dropped to 54% which was 1,850,093 and by the year 2000 the population dropped to 19% that is 1,538,096 in Manhattan.
Other Districts that includes Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island. The Population size in 1800 was 18,701 followed by 24%. In 1900, it raised to 24% which is 1,587,109. In 2000, the population size increased by 81% and the population size became 6,471,089. So, that is the census of population in New York city from different 5 districts of the year [redacted phone].
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main trends in the total population and the shifts in district proportions. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, relying heavily on listing figures rather than synthesizing the data. While the overall trend is clear, the comparison between the districts is limited to a binary grouping (Manhattan vs. the rest), which misses the nuance of the individual district data provided in the tables. To reach a higher band, you should group the data more effectively to highlight significant changes, such as the dramatic shift in population dominance from Manhattan to the other four districts over the two-century period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is appropriate for a short report. Ideas are generally sequenced logically, starting with the total population and moving to the breakdown by district. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and basic (e.g., 'In 1800', 'In 1900', 'In 2000'). The transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt, and the final sentence acts as a summary but feels slightly disconnected from the preceding analysis. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on simple verbs like 'increased', 'dropped', and 'raised' repeatedly. There is an attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'census' and 'districts', but the phrasing is occasionally awkward, such as 'New York city is a heart of the United States'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms for growth and decline, and ensure that your collocations are natural. The range is sufficient to convey the information, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands.
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 'New York city is a heart' (missing article), 'Other Districts that includes' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'from different 5 districts' (awkward word order). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Additionally, try to vary your sentence structure by using more complex clauses to describe the data trends rather than relying on simple subject-verb-object patterns.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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