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 given tables elaborated information regarding total population of New York city from 1800 to 2000. It reflected relative change in population of the five districts of the city namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island within the same time period.
The main feature of table one portrayed clear increase in population of New York city from 1800 to 2000. For instance, growth escalated to more than 10 fold during the given three years of time span. Additionally, percentage of total increase in population of Manhattan was 76% in 1800 which declined to 19% in 2000. In contrast, population growth was observed from 1800 to 200 if other districts of New York cities were taken into consideration. To elaborate with, the steep incline in growth was reported from 24% to 81% during 1800 to 2000.
In conclusion, population of New York city showed exponential growth during three years but on other hand, Manhattan depicted a decline in population density during the same period of time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 fails to adequately report the main features. While you mention the total population increase and the shift in Manhattan's share, the analysis is superficial. You refer to 'three years of time span' and 'three years' incorrectly, as the data covers two centuries. Furthermore, the description of the other districts is vague and lacks specific data points from the tables to support your claims. To improve, ensure you select key data points (such as the population in 1800 vs 2000) and avoid misinterpreting the time scale provided in the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into an introduction, body, and conclusion, which provides a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices like 'Additionally' and 'In contrast' is present but occasionally awkward, such as the phrase 'To elaborate with,' which is not standard English. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the 'other districts,' as it is not immediately obvious which data points you are referencing from the tables. Improving the logical flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'population of New York city' and 'population growth.' There are also issues with word choice, such as 'elaborated information' instead of 'presents information' and 'steep incline in growth' which is slightly redundant. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms and precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated,' 'accounted for,' or 'proportion.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'growth escalated to more than 10 fold' should be 'more than tenfold,' and '1800 to 200' is a typo for 2000. There are also issues with article usage ('the' New York city) and prepositional errors. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and numerical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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