Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-19
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 first table illustrates the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000, while the second and third tables provide information about population changes in the city’s five districts.
Overall, the population of new York city increased rapidly in across the five districts, whereas Manhattan total population percentage declined over the centuries, however in other districts total population percentage increased over the time period.
In contrast, New York city population in 1800 is comparingly low with 1900,however the population significantly increased across the period
between 1900 and 2000.
In comparison, Manhattan’s share of New York City’s total population decreased considerably over the period, despite remaining the most populous district for much of the period. In contrast, the other four districts experienced an increase in their respective shares of the city’s population. This indicates that population growth gradually shifted from Manhattan towards the other districts between 1800 and 2000.
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. While you mention the total population increased, you do not cite specific data points from the tables to support your claims, which is essential for a high band score. The overview is present but lacks detail regarding the specific timeframes or the magnitude of the changes. To improve, ensure you incorporate key figures from the tables to illustrate your points, rather than just describing the trends in general terms.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Overall', and 'However'. However, some of these transitions are used awkwardly or repetitively. For instance, the phrase 'In contrast' is used twice in close proximity, and the flow between the overview and the body paragraphs is slightly disjointed. The referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression could be smoother if you grouped the data more effectively, perhaps by contrasting the early 19th century with the 20th century more explicitly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You use basic terms like 'increased' and 'decreased' repeatedly. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'comparingly low' (should be 'comparatively low') and 'in across' (which is grammatically redundant). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for growth and decline, and ensure that your collocations are natural and accurate.
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 distract the reader. Examples include 'Manhattan total population percentage declined' (missing possessive 'Manhattan's'), 'New York city population in 1800 is comparingly low' (incorrect tense and word choice), and 'over the time period' (unnecessary article). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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