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 tables provide the information of total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000 and compare Manhattan with the other four districts.
Overall, the total population in New York City in all five districts increased significantly over the period. Manhattan's population decreased by the 2000, while other district's population increased significantly in 2000.
In 1800, the population of New York City was 79,216 and increased significantly over the period, it rose to 34,437,202 in 1900 and peaked to 8,009,185 in 2000. Manhattan's population contained 76% of total population, it was 60,515 in 1800 and rose to 1,850,093 contributing 54% in 1900 before falling significantly to 19% became 1,538,096 in 2000.
In contrast, the population of other districts including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island increased significantly over the period. It reported as 18,701 in 1800 which was 24% in total and rose to 1,587,109 in 1900 increasing 24% before peaking the largest value of 6,471,089 in 2000 which is recorded as 81% in total.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the data, including the overall population growth and the shift in proportions between Manhattan and the other districts. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, the text states the population in 1900 was 34,437,202, which is a major misreading of the provided table (8,009,185). Additionally, the description of the trends is somewhat repetitive, and the analysis of the percentages could be more precise. While the main trends are identified, the factual errors regarding the figures hinder the overall quality of the task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Overall', and 'before falling' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel forced. The referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression is sometimes interrupted by the factual errors mentioned in the task achievement section. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general trend from the specific district comparisons.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'contributing', 'peaking', and 'in contrast'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'peaked to' instead of 'peaked at' and 'the largest value of' which is slightly unnatural. The student attempts to use percentages and statistical terminology, which is appropriate for an Academic Task 1, but the repetition of 'increased significantly' limits the lexical variety. The errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the response from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the information of total population' (should be 'information on'), 'by the 2000' (should be 'by 2000'), and '19% became 1,538,096' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some run-on sentences and comma splices, particularly in the third paragraph. While the meaning is usually clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a limited control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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