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 first table illustrates the total population in New York city from 1800 to 2000, while the two table display the changes in number of people across five different districts over the same period.
Overall, it's clear that the population of New York City dramatically increased between 1800 and 2000, while Manhattan experienced a rapid increase over the same period. However, the proportion shows fell off between 200 years. Furthermore, the population of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island registered growth between 1800 and 2000. In addition, the percentage had increase over the same years.
In 1800, the population of human registered 79,216 and Rapidly increased stood at 8,009,185 , in the end of 2000.
The population in Manhattan shows 60,515 in 1800 and at the end of 1900, it had 1,850,093. After that, it went decline accounted at 1,538,096 in 2000 although the percentage went down from 76% to 19% over the same period.
For other five districts, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island had saw the growth between 1800 and 2000 from 18,701 t0 6,471,089. In addition, the percentage was increased from 24% to 81% across the same period.
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 identifies the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in proportions between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is hampered by inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the statement that the population 'fell off' between 200 years is unclear, and the summary of the other four districts is mathematically confusing. While the key features are selected, the lack of precision in describing the data and the inclusion of some confusing phrasing mean the response does not fully develop the comparison. More careful attention to the specific figures provided in the tables is required to reach 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. Phrases like 'in the end of 2000' and 'for other five districts' are used to link ideas, but the logical flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the 'proportion' in the second paragraph. While there is a basic attempt at paragraphing, the progression of ideas is not always smooth, and the connection between the total population and the district-specific data could be more effectively managed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'population of human registered', 'went decline', and 'had saw the growth'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the information being presented. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise verbs for describing trends (e.g., 'peaked', 'declined', 'surpassed') and ensure that nouns and verbs are used in their correct forms within the context of data reporting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there is a high frequency of grammatical errors. Common issues include incorrect verb tenses ('had increase', 'was increased'), subject-verb agreement problems, and awkward phrasing ('the two table display'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas and the use of capital letters. While the meaning is generally understandable, the persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence structure and proofreading for basic tense consistency would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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