Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-08
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 table graph provides the data of the cumulative population of New York city in the given period of 1800 to 2000 respectively along with the variations in the population of five districts namely Manhattan and other cities including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.
Overall, It is evident that the the combined population in all the cities was highest in the year 2000 whereas, lowest in the year 1800.
To commence with, it is noticeable that the percentage of Manhattan total population in 1800 was 76% with 60,515 individuals however, in the same year the percentage of other cities was only 24% with 18,701 count. Moving towards 1900 the total population % was 54% which was 8% higher than the other cities and the individual count was 1,850,093 and 1,587,109 individually. Highlighting the final year 2000, the total population stood at 19% with 1,538,096 head counts but for other cities like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island was surged to 81% which was 62% increase with 6,471,089 people.
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 provides a basic overview of the data, but it fails to fully address the task requirements. While it mentions the total population and the five districts, it does not effectively synthesize the information from the three tables. The analysis is limited to three specific years (1800, 1900, 2000) and misses the broader trends across the century. Furthermore, the description of the data is sometimes confusing, particularly when comparing percentages and raw numbers. To improve, you should ensure that all key features are clearly identified and that comparisons between the districts are more detailed and accurate.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a standard structure for this task. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with' and 'Moving towards', but they are sometimes used mechanically. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the 'other cities' category, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between Manhattan and the rest of the districts. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring clear signposting would enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'highest', 'lowest', and 'count'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'total population % was 54%' and '1,538,096 head counts'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and occasional imprecise word choices limit the score. To improve, try to incorporate more varied terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuation', 'dramatic increase', or 'accounted for'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'the the combined population' (repetition), 'total population of New York city' (capitalization), and 'was surged to 81%' (incorrect passive voice). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity of the report. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct tense usage will help improve your grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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