Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-10
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 tables illustrate the total population of five different districts of the New York city, namely- Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island between 1800 to 2000.
From an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the overall population of New York city is increased over the years. To specify, Manhattan contained the highest of total proportion in 1800, which was reversed by the other districts in 2000.
In 1800, 79,216 people lived in New York, in which nearly 60,000 people were from Manhattan that is 76% of whole, and 24% was taken by other districts. Moving further, in the next year the total number of people increased to 3,437,202. In that year, Manhattan as well as other districts contributed almost the same in the total population (54% and 46% respectively). Lastly, the figures rose considerably in 2000. Overall population was 8,009,185, which was devided 81% (6,471,089) in other districts and the least 19% (1,538,096) in Manhattan.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the data, including the total population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student mentions '1800', '1900' (implied as 'the next year'), and '2000', but the data for 1900 is not clearly labelled as such, leading to confusion. Furthermore, the report lacks a detailed comparison of the individual districts, focusing only on the aggregate 'other districts' category. To achieve a higher band, the student should provide more specific data points for the individual districts and ensure the timeline is clearly articulated.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'From an overall perspective', 'To specify', and 'Moving further' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'Moving further, in the next year', which is unclear given the data spans 200 years. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas could be smoother if the data were grouped more logically by time periods or specific trends rather than just listing numbers.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'proportion', 'contributed', and 'considerably'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'highest of total proportion' (should be 'highest proportion') and 'devided' (spelling error). The phrasing 'the least 19%' is also slightly unnatural. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding the range of reporting verbs and descriptive adjectives would improve the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'New York city is increased' (passive voice error), 'namely- Manhattan' (incorrect punctuation), and '24% was taken by other districts' (subject-verb agreement/awkward phrasing). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The student should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice when describing statistical data to improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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