Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-18
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 three tables illustrates the total population of New York and the other two tables shows the change in population of five district between 1800 to 2000.
Overall, the population of New York has rapidly increased in last two century. Manhattan was the most populated district in New York from the begining.
In 1800 New York had total population of 79,216 people in which 60,515 people or 76% lived in Manhattan alone. And the remaining 18.7 thousand were living in other 4 district. In 19th century population increased by more than 3.3 million.
Population also rapidly increased in Manhattan and other district. Manhattan alone had more than 300,000 people then other four district combine. However, in 2000 population rapidly increased in other four states by 5 million which was 81% of total population. Moreover, Manhattan population decreased by 300 thousand. Which was still 19% of the total population .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student mentions specific figures but struggles to integrate them effectively to support a clear comparison. For instance, the statement that the population increased by 3.3 million in the 19th century is not clearly linked to the provided data. Furthermore, the description of the 2000 data is slightly confusing, particularly the reference to 'other four states' (which are districts, not states). While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in data reporting and the slight misinterpretation of the data points limit the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into three short paragraphs, which is a logical structure for a report. However, the flow between sentences is often mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes repetitive (e.g., 'In 1800', 'In 19th century', 'In 2000'). The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'which' at the start of sentences, which creates fragmented phrasing. While the reader can follow the general progression of the data, the lack of varied linking words and the somewhat disjointed sentence structure prevent a higher score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. The student relies on basic terms like 'increased' and 'rapidly' multiple times. There are also errors in word choice, such as referring to the five districts as 'states'. Some phrasing is awkward, such as 'from the begining' and 'then other four district combine'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and the errors in collocation and terminology prevent the response from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The given three tables illustrates', 'the other two tables shows') and pluralisation (e.g., 'other 4 district'). Punctuation is also problematic, with several sentences starting with fragments or being incorrectly separated (e.g., 'Which was still 19% of the total population'). These errors occur frequently and occasionally cause the reader to pause, though they do not completely impede communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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