Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-13
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 table below shows the number of people in New York city between 1800 and 2000While the other two tables illustrates the changes in the people occupying the five district ,Manhattan, Brookly, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island over the same period of time.
overall ,the population significantly increased from 1800 to 2000 in New York .Manhattan shows a great population increase for the same period of time while the other districts also indicates a increase in number of occupants although fluctuating.
Number of individuals living in New York cities gradually increased from 1800 to 2000,1800 register 79,216 people being the lowest ,by 1900 the population had escalated to 3,437,202 persons and reached its peak at2000 by 8,008,185 individuals who lived in the five cities.
However, there was some fluctuations in the cities, Manhattan city, in 1800 the population of high with 76% of the occupants .Also ,there was a down ward trend the population dropped to 54% an finally reached the bottom to 19% by 2000.
Furthermore, other cities also shows and increase in population , the bottom line it started from 24% and escalated to 46% by 1900 and its peak by 2000 attaining 81%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main trends in the data, identifying the overall population growth and the shifting proportions of the districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the peak in 2000 and the initial figures in 1800, the description of the district data is slightly confusing, particularly the grouping of 'other cities' which lacks clarity. To improve, ensure you clearly distinguish between the total population figures and the percentage distribution of the districts. The summary is present, but more precise comparisons between the districts at specific time intervals would strengthen the response and better meet the requirements for a higher band.
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 inaccurate, such as the awkward transition 'the bottom line it started from'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to 'other cities' without explicitly naming the remaining districts. The punctuation is inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and periods, which disrupts the flow of the text. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring consistent paragraphing will help the logical progression of your ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as using 'cities' to refer to the five districts of New York, and 'occupants' instead of 'residents' or 'population'. Spelling errors like 'Brookly' and 'down ward' also detract from the quality of the writing. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'proportion', 'accounted for', or 'experienced a decline', and ensure accurate spelling throughout.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'tables illustrates', 'other cities also shows'), incorrect verb tenses, and missing articles. Punctuation is also a significant issue, with many sentences lacking proper spacing after punctuation marks. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these errors limits the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be a beneficial next step.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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