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 illustrate the shifts of the whole population of New York City IN FIRST TABLE and also for its districts, which are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island in the second and third charts between 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 was 79,216. It 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" shows a population within percentage too. During 1800 it was 76 percent, but gradually it decreased and in 2000 it reached nearly 19 percent of the population. Lastly, the remaining four districts are 24 percent during the 1800s. It shows a gradual increase between 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, but the analysis is superficial. You have identified the overall growth of the total population and the shift in Manhattan's percentage, but the data for the other four districts is grouped together too broadly. The report lacks a clear comparison between the districts, and the inclusion of 'IN FIRST TABLE' in the introduction is informal and unnecessary. To improve, you should select more specific data points to contrast the growth rates of different districts rather than just stating the final percentages. The overview is present but could be more analytical regarding the significant shifts observed.
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 somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Lastly'). The referencing is occasionally unclear; for example, 'It also includes the district's population in it' is vague. The transition between the total population data and the district-specific data could be smoother. While the logical progression is generally maintained, the lack of sophisticated linking words limits the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic verbs like 'shows' and 'increases' repeatedly. There are some awkward phrasings, such as 'rate of the growing population' and 'population within percentage'. The use of 'IN FIRST TABLE' is not appropriate for an academic report. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion', 'accounted for', 'experienced a decline', or 'surged'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For instance, 'the population in New York city... gradually increases' should be 'increased' to match the past timeframe. There are also issues with article usage ('the district MANHATTAN') and punctuation around quotes. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are noticeable and occur throughout the text. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring subject-verb agreement would improve this score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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