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 three tables illustrate the changes in the total population across five districts of New York City in 1800, 1900 and 2000.

From a broader overview, it is clear that the total population of the New York City increased throughout the period. As the year passed, the contribution of Manhattan towards the total population of New York City decreased gradually. In contrast, the other four districts had accounted for the highest percentage of the total population.

Looking at the total population of the New York City. In 1800, the population was 79,216, which rose significantly to 3,437,202 in 1900. This figure increased to a peak of 8,009,185 in 2000. The contribution of Manhattan district to the total population is shown below. In 1800, Manhattan held 76% of the total population, reported at 60,515. However, the percentage of contribution decreased to 54% in 1900, accounted for 1,850,093. In 2000, Manhattan held only 19% of the total population across five district, at 1,538,096.

On the other hand, regarding the percentage of contribution of other four district: Brookyln, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to complete the task as it is unfinished. While you successfully identify the overall growth of the population and the shift in Manhattan's proportion, the final paragraph is incomplete, leaving out the data for the other four districts. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are addressed. You provided a good overview and selected key data points for the total population and Manhattan, but the lack of analysis for the remaining districts significantly limits the coverage of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast' and 'On the other hand'. However, the progression is interrupted by the abrupt ending of the final paragraph. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the structure feels mechanical due to the incomplete nature of the final section. To improve, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that transitions between ideas are smooth and complete.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'contribution', 'proportion', and 'significantly'. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'As the year passed' (which is slightly unnatural in this context) and 'across five district' (should be plural). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. Focusing on more academic collocations would enhance your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'In 1800, the population was 79,216, which rose significantly to 3,437,202 in 1900.' There are several grammatical errors, including punctuation issues (e.g., 'Looking at the total population of the New York City. In 1800...') and missing articles or pluralization errors (e.g., 'other four district'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the overall fluency of the text.

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.