Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-17
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 provides the data on the overall population of five districts in the New York city in years 1800, 1900 and 2000. While other two tables, the distribution of the total population among Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Islands and Queens.
Overall, the total population of the city rose significantly after every century. Manhattan comprised of more than half of the total population of the city in 1800 and 1900, although its proportion decreased. While, the percentage of population combined in other four districts increased, doubling every century. By 2000, the share of Manhattan's population declined.
In 1800, the overall population of New York city was 79216, the number rose to [redacted phone] in 1900. The figure increased to more than double, reaching to [redacted phone] in 2000.
76% of the total population on 1800, belonged to Manhattan, although the share reduced to only 54%, the population rose for 60515 to [redacted phone] in 1900. by 2000, Manhattan's share in total population fell to only 19% as the population count also decreased to [redacted phone] a century later.
The combined population of Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Islands and Queens occupied only 24% with only 18701 residents in 1800. Its contribution to total population almost doubled to 46% with population more than 15 lakhs, finally its share crossed 80% with
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to complete the task as the final paragraph is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence. While you identified the main trends in total population and the shift in Manhattan's share, the analysis of the other four districts is cut off, meaning you did not fully report on all the data provided. To improve, ensure you complete your comparisons and provide a full overview of all categories. The inclusion of specific data points is good, but the lack of a finished conclusion or summary of the final data set significantly impacts the overall achievement of the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow is disrupted by the incomplete final sentence. You use some cohesive devices like 'While', 'Overall', and 'In 1800', which help to link ideas, but the transition between the general population data and the district-specific data is somewhat mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the sudden termination of the text makes the progression of ideas feel unfinished. To achieve a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear concluding thought and that the logical progression of your argument is maintained until the very end of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'comprised of', 'proportion', and 'declined' appropriately. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'rose for 60515 to 1850093' (should be 'from') and the use of 'lakhs', which is not standard in IELTS Academic writing. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focus on using standard numerical terminology and improving your control over collocations to enhance the sophistication of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'While other two tables, the distribution...' which is a sentence fragment, and 'the population rose for 60515' instead of 'from'. Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as the missing subject in the final sentence. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest a lack of control over more complex structures. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence has a clear, complete structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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