Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-16
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 display the total population of New york city and the total population of five different districts of the city from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, although the total population of the city increased over the period, Manhattan share's of the population decreased.
At first, the New York city had a population of 79,219 in 1800. It climed significantly to 8,009,185 by 2000 with a peak in 1900. The total population of Manhattan showed susbstantial growth 60,515 people in 1800 besides 1,850,093 by 1900, and 1,538,096 by 2000. However, the percentages of total population living in the city declined considerably from 76% to 19% .
The total population of 4 districts the Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island had 18,701 people in 1800, which made only 24% of total population of the city. It showed a continious growth 1,587,109 by 1900 and 6,471,089 by 2000 which represented 81% of the total population.
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 overall growth of the city and the shifting proportions between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the peak in 1900, you do not sufficiently contrast the differing trends between the districts (e.g., the rapid growth of the outer boroughs versus the decline in Manhattan's share). The data is presented accurately, but the reporting of figures could be more integrated to highlight the comparative trends requested in the prompt. To reach a higher band, ensure that the relationship between the total population and the specific district data is more clearly synthesised.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'At first', and 'However', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'At first' to introduce a historical trend, which is not the most natural choice for data analysis. Additionally, the referencing of the four districts as a group is clear, but the flow between the sentences in the final paragraph could be smoother to better connect the population figures with the percentage shifts.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'substantial growth', 'declined considerably', and 'represented'. There are some spelling errors, such as 'climed' (climbed) and 'susbstantial' (substantial), and minor word-choice issues like 'share's' (possessive error) and 'display' (should be 'displays'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. Focusing on more sophisticated collocations and ensuring accurate spelling will improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement ('The table display' instead of 'displays'), missing articles ('the New York city'), and awkward phrasing ('Manhattan share's of the population'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles when referring to geographical entities and data points.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.