Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-14
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 changes alternation in the total population of Newyork city between 1800 and 2000, whereas other tables depicts the changes in the population of the five different districts of the New york over the period.
Overall, first table displays the total population of all five districts. On the other hand, and the largest population was recorded in 2000. In the second table and third table, calculation of population is shown in percentage.
In 1800, the total population of all five districts was 79,0 79,216, whereas Manhattan and other districts had 60, 60,575 (76%) and 18,701 (24%) respectively. In 1900, population of all five districts recorded 3,437,202 but in manhattan the population was 1,850,093 (54%) and other districts had 1,587,109 (46%) in the same year.
By 2000, the population increased dramatically in all five districts by 8,009,785, but the population declined in manhattan by 1,538,096 (19%). on the other hand the population of other four districts increased considerably by 6,471,089 (81%).
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the data, including the total population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the trends. While the data is presented, the comparison between the years is occasionally confusing, particularly in the final paragraph where the phrasing 'increased... by 8,009,785' is mathematically inaccurate based on the provided figures (which show a total of 8,009,785 in 2000, not an increase of that amount). The response addresses the prompt but lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often repetitive or awkward, such as the phrase 'In the second table and third table' and the frequent use of 'on the other hand' which is not always used to show a logical contrast. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences feels disjointed. Paragraphing is present but the internal logic within the paragraphs could be improved to ensure a smoother progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is limited and somewhat repetitive. There are errors in word choice, such as 'changes alternation' and 'calculation of population is shown in percentage'. The student relies on basic descriptors like 'increased' and 'declined'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, it lacks the precision and variety needed to demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. Spelling errors, such as 'Newyork' and 'manhattan' (capitalisation), also detract from the overall quality.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect article usage (e.g., 'in manhattan'), inconsistent capitalisation, and punctuation errors (e.g., '79,0 79,216'). Some sentences are poorly constructed, such as 'the largest population was recorded in 2000', which lacks a clear subject-verb relationship in context. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors is noticeable and occasionally impedes the flow of the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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