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 Table illustrates the total population of New York City all five districts comparing across Manhattan and other districts from 1800 to 2000 measured in percentages.
Overall, it is immediately apparent that major change over time is from 1800 to 2000 the population takes a huge increasing trend from around 79000 in 1800 to 8 Million in 2000.
Conversely, During the same period new york city's population is greater compared to all other districts over a period of time the other district's population goes a inclined trend compared to Manhattan it is 81% of New york city Population.
Looking at Manhattan in detail, Population stood at 76% in 1800.
This figure fluctuated] sharply to 54% by 1900, before reaching of 19% in 2000.
Similarly, Other Districts mirrored this pattern, rising from 24% in 1800 to 46% by 1900 and 81% in 2000.
Turning to Fluctuation in population, a contrasting pattern is observed.
In 2000, population registered at 81%, which was significantly higher than that of all other periods at 2000.
By the end of the period, both Districts converged at approximately 8 Million, remaining lower than the figures recorded for Manhattan compared to other Districts.
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 covers the main features of the data, such as the overall population growth and the shifting proportions between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is hampered by significant inaccuracies in interpreting the data. For instance, the claim that the population 'converged at approximately 8 Million' for both Manhattan and other districts is factually incorrect based on the provided tables. Additionally, the statement that Manhattan was 81% of the population in 2000 contradicts the table, which shows 81% for the 'Other Districts'. The report lacks a clear, accurate summary of the trends, leading to confusion in the reader's understanding of the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is frequently interrupted by confusing statements and poor transitions. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Conversely', 'Similarly', 'Turning to'), they are often applied incorrectly or do not logically connect the ideas. For example, the paragraph starting with 'Turning to Fluctuation' does not actually discuss fluctuations but rather repeats information already mentioned. The referencing is also unclear, making it difficult to follow the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'major change', 'huge increasing trend', and 'inclined trend'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'registered at 81%' and 'converged at approximately 8 Million', which do not accurately describe the data. Some terms are used in a way that obscures meaning, such as 'fluctuated sharply to 54%'. To improve, the student needs to use more precise terminology for describing trends and data points.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the other district's population goes a inclined trend'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'before reaching of 19%'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, such as the stray bracket in 'fluctuated]'. While the meaning is generally discernible, the high frequency of errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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