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 displayS 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, Manhattans share of the population decreased.
At first, the New York City had a population of 79,219 in 1800. It climbed significantly to 8,009,185 by 2000 with a peak in 1900. The total population of Manhattan showed subsstantial growth from 60,515 people in 1800 besides 1,850,093 by 1900, and 1,538,096 by 2000. However, the percentage of the total population living in the city declined considerably from 76% to 19% .
The total population of 4 districts namely Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island had 18,701 people in 1800, which made only 24% of total population of the city. It showed a continuous growth to 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 of the districts. However, the analysis is somewhat limited. While you identify the growth of Manhattan and the other four districts, you miss the opportunity to compare the specific growth rates between the districts or highlight the most significant trends, such as the rapid rise of Brooklyn or the relative stability of Staten Island. The data is presented accurately, but the selection of information could be more analytical to better address the 'make comparisons where relevant' part of the prompt. The summary is functional but lacks a deeper synthesis of the provided tables.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the total city data from the district-specific data. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'At first', and 'However' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'besides 1,850,093 by 1900', which is not a standard way to link data points. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using more varied linking phrases to connect the statistical comparisons.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'climbed significantly', 'peak', and 'declined considerably'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'The table displayS' (capitalization error) and 'besides 1,850,093', where 'along with' or 'compared to' would be more appropriate. The use of 'namely' is correct, but the overall vocabulary is somewhat repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'fluctuated', or 'accounted for'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Manhattans share' (missing apostrophe), 'New York city' (capitalization), and 'the total population of 4 districts namely Brooklyn... had 18,701 people', which is slightly awkward phrasing. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The use of 'which made only 24%' is a good attempt at a complex structure, but the overall control of punctuation and sentence construction needs more consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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