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 given data illustrates the shifts of the whole population of New York city IN FIRST TABLE and also for its districts that are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island in second and third chart during 1800 and 2000.
Overall, the population in New York city which includes all the five districts, gradually increases from 1800 towards 2000. Whereas, in all the districts, it shows the fluctuation in population during the same years.
Firstly, in New York, in 1800 the rate of the growing population is 79,216 also includes the district's population in it. By 1900 it was 3,437,202 and in 2000 it was 8,009,185.
Secondly, the district " MANHATTAN" it shows population within percentage too. During 1800 it was 76 percent but gradually it decreases and in 2000 it reached nearly 19 percent of population. Lastly, the remaining four districts are 24 percent during the 1800. It shows the gradual increase during 1900 and 2000 which is 46 and 81 percent for all the four districts.
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 trends, such as the overall population growth and the shifting proportions of Manhattan versus the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student fails to provide a detailed breakdown of the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) as requested by the prompt, instead grouping them together. Furthermore, the inclusion of raw data is sometimes inaccurate or poorly integrated, such as the confusing reference to 'rate of the growing population'. To reach a higher band, the student should provide a more precise comparison of the specific data points across the different time periods rather than just general observations.
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 mechanical and sometimes awkward, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Lastly'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the 'remaining four districts'. The transition between the general population table and the district percentage tables is abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences and using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the logical progression of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. There is a reliance on basic verbs like 'shows' and 'increases'. Some phrasing is unnatural, such as 'rate of the growing population' and 'within percentage too'. There are also issues with capitalization, such as 'MANHATTAN', which is inappropriate for formal writing. To improve, the student should focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'accounted for', or 'experienced a decline'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'the whole population of New York city IN FIRST TABLE', 'it shows the fluctuation', and 'the district Manhattan it shows'. These errors, while not always impeding communication, are frequent enough to lower the score. Punctuation and capitalization are also inconsistent. The student needs to focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve the accuracy of their writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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