Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-11
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 First table explains about major changes in population of New York city from the year 1800 to 2000. Second and third are displaying the changes tookplace in population from five selected districts of New York city.
Overall, According to first table, Population was increasing rapidly from year 1800 to 2000. manhattan has more population as comapred to other four districts.
To begin with, In 1800 population was registered with 79,216 members and 3,437,202 members in 1900 which is almost 5x times of 1800. Additonally, 8,009,165 people were registered in population of New York city including all districts which is all time high increasing in population as compared to previous years.
Secondly, According to middle and last table Manhattan has 76% population of whole city in 1800. Later in 1900 and 2000 it was failed to contrubute in population and decreased to 54% and 19% respectively.
Moreover, other districts like (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island) were also participated in contributing New York's population with 24% in year 1800, 46% in year 1900 and 81% in year 2000 respectively. All four four has highest contribution in the year 2000 where Mahhatran has least as compared to all these four districts of New York city.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the data, including the overall population growth and the shifting proportions of the districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you correctly identify the growth trend and the decline of Manhattan's share, the reporting of specific figures is occasionally imprecise (e.g., '5x times' is redundant). The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the contrast between the city's total growth and the redistribution of the population across districts. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurately transcribed and that the comparison between the districts is more clearly structured.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Secondly' and 'Moreover' used to introduce data points rather than logical arguments. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to the tables as 'middle and last table'. The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, and the transition between the general population trends and the district-specific data could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear referencing would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of word-choice errors or awkward phrasing, such as 'failed to contribute in population' and 'were also participated in contributing'. Spelling errors like 'comapred', 'Additonally', 'contrubute', and 'Mahhatran' are noticeable and detract from the professional tone of the report. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and proofreading for basic spelling accuracy.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect verb forms ('changes tookplace'), missing articles ('in year 1800'), and awkward sentence construction ('population was registered with 79,216 members'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of parentheses and capitalization. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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