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 depicts the changes in the full population of New York City between 1800 and 2000, while second and third tables enumerate differences in population across five districts namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island in a similar time span.
At a glance, it is conspicuous that in 2000, the whole population of New York had the highest number as compared to other years, while in 1800, the population had the lowest rate, accounting for 79,216. Moreover when it comes to Manhattan, the upward trend was witnessed in 1800, constituting 76%, whereas population rate stood at last position.
In contrast, a considerable fall was recorded in the percentile of total population from 1900 to 2000 but population number saw the reverse pattern .As regards other district, 46% and 81% was noticed of whole population in the year 1900 to 2000 respectively. Meanwhile, in 1800 population rate had merely 18,701, whereas population rate notched the top slot in the year 1900 , standing at 4,587,109.
Overall, it is readily apparent that cited all years population rate was significantly climbed except 1800.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to clearly identify and report the main features. The description of the data is often confusing and inaccurate; for example, the claim that Manhattan's population 'stood at last position' in 1800 is not supported by the provided tables. Furthermore, the analysis of the population trends is disjointed, and the use of 'percentile' is mathematically incorrect in this context. The report lacks a clear overview of the significant growth trends across the districts, and the data points selected are often presented in a way that obscures rather than clarifies the information. The response would benefit from a more systematic approach to comparing the growth of the five districts over the two-century period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression of ideas is weak. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast' and 'Moreover', they are often used incorrectly or do not logically connect the preceding and following sentences. The referencing is frequently unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the different tables. The final paragraph is particularly vague, failing to synthesize the information effectively. The overall structure feels mechanical, and the lack of clear transitions between the data sets hinders the flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is limited and often used inaccurately. Phrases like 'population rate' are used repeatedly where 'population' or 'number of inhabitants' would be more appropriate. The term 'percentile' is misused to describe population figures, and 'notched the top slot' is overly informal for an academic report. There are also issues with word choice, such as 'full population' instead of 'total population'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'while second and third tables enumerate' (missing articles), 'cited all years population rate was significantly climbed' (incorrect passive voice and word order), and 'As regards other district' (missing pluralization). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with misplaced spaces before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally discernible, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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