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 given tables illustrate the changes in the total population of New York City and five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, it is evident that New york city's total population increased from 1800 to 2000. Meanwhile, Manhattan's population increased between 1800 and 1900 before declining slightly by 2000, while other districts' total population significantly surged.
Looking first at New york city, it started at 79,200 in 1800. Then, it increased significantly until the 2000 and it had a population of 8,009,185. However, the Manhattan began at 60,515 and then increased to 1900. During this period, Manhattan's percentage of the total population had 76% and 54%. But, it significanly dropped in 2000 and it had 1,538,096 and 19%.
Regarding the other districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island), the figure stood at 18,701 initially and then experienced a slight increase reaching 1,587,109 by 1900. Its percentage was 24% and 46%. Moreover, it had 6,471,089 and 81% in 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the data, including the overall growth of New York City and the contrasting trends between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000, the description of the trends is occasionally confusing, particularly when mixing population numbers with percentages in the same sentence. To reach a higher band, ensure that comparisons are more clearly articulated and that the data points selected are used to support a more cohesive narrative of the changes over time.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile', 'Looking first at', and 'Regarding' are used to guide the reader. However, the progression within the paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as when you refer to 'the other districts' as a singular entity ('Its percentage was...'). Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'surged', 'illustrate', and 'experienced a slight increase' used effectively. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'the Manhattan began' (should be 'Manhattan began') and 'it had 1,538,096 and 19%' (which is grammatically awkward). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. Focusing on more sophisticated collocations and avoiding repetitive sentence structures will help improve this score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('the Manhattan'), incorrect verb tense usage ('had 76% and 54%'), and awkward phrasing ('it increased significantly until the 2000'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall clarity. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, the correct use of definite articles, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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