Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-12
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)
These table graphs compare information of total population of New York City to the number of people in the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) , from 1800 to 2000.
Overall,the population of the New York City skyrocketed as there is a significant rise in numbers.Although,the population of Manhattan district was the majority of total population,it deterred over time.There can be seen a exponential increase in the population of other four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) as percentage of total population.
From 1800 to 1900,the population of Manhattan showed a 30 times growth but its share in the overall population decreased noticeably to 54 percent which further drops to 19 percent in 2000.However,the share of other four districts in the overall population increased from 24 percent in 1800 to 81 percent in 2000 which is a huge rise.The Manhattan district numbers are a shock.
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 trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in the proportion of residents living in Manhattan versus the other four districts. However, the analysis is somewhat limited. While you mention the '30 times growth' for Manhattan, you do not provide enough specific data points from the tables to support your claims effectively. The description of the other four districts is grouped together, which is acceptable, but more specific comparisons between the districts would have strengthened the response. The conclusion regarding the 'shock' of the numbers is subjective and not appropriate for an academic report, which should remain objective.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the use of 'Although' at the start of a sentence followed by a comma, or the phrase 'There can be seen a exponential increase'. The transition between the overview and the specific data could be smoother. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the referencing is occasionally imprecise, which slightly hinders the flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'skyrocketed', 'exponential increase', and 'noticeably'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'deterred' is used incorrectly to describe a population decline; 'declined' or 'decreased' would be more appropriate. Additionally, 'table graphs' is not the standard terminology for this type of data presentation. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('the' before 'New York City' or 'the' before 'exponential'), and punctuation issues, particularly with spacing after commas. The phrase 'There can be seen a exponential increase' is grammatically awkward; 'There was an exponential increase' would be more natural. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. More attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage is needed.
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