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 table chart illustrate the change of population of New York city at different interval of time and demonstrate the growth of population of five different districts.
The overall analysis shows the New York has recorded highest population in 2000 whereas Manhattan was the least contributor in it.
On the onset of 1900, the population was increased significantly at 3,437,202 prior to 1800 where the population was only 79,216. Moreover, the surge increased to 8,009,185 in 2000.
On the other hand, in 1800 the Manhattan population anchored at 60,515. However, the drastic increase of population was shown in 1900 at 1,850,093. Eventually, made a stagnant point at 1,538,096 in 2000. On contrast, other populations has been increasing gradually .For instance, in 1800 it was 18,701 then in 1900 it was 1,587,109 .Finally, in 2000 it finally peaked at little over 6.4 million people.
Lastly, Manhattan has shown downward pattern in population contribution from 76% to 54% to 19% in 2000. Furthermore, the relative percentage for other districts has been growing steadily from 24% to 46% and in 2000 it finally reached at 81%.
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 features of the data, including the total population growth and the shift in district proportions. However, the analysis is somewhat uneven. While the total population figures are mentioned, the specific data for the five districts is grouped into 'Manhattan' and 'other', which simplifies the data significantly rather than reporting on the specific trends for each district as requested. The overview is clear, but the reporting of specific figures lacks precision in places, such as the vague reference to 'other populations'. To improve, ensure all categories provided in the prompt are addressed with equal attention to detail.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding summary of percentages. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'Lastly', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from total population to specific district trends. However, the referencing is occasionally confusing, particularly when grouping the four other districts together as 'other', which makes the logical flow of the data comparison harder to follow for the reader.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts at using descriptive terms like 'anchored', 'surge', and 'stagnant'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'The table chart illustrate' (subject-verb agreement error), 'on the onset of 1900', and 'made a stagnant point'. These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the precision of the report. To reach a higher band, focus on using more natural collocations for describing statistical trends, such as 'peaked at' or 'experienced a significant increase'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement ('The table chart illustrate'), article usage ('the New York'), and prepositional errors ('reached at'). Some sentences are slightly disjointed, such as 'Eventually, made a stagnant point', which lacks a clear subject. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points. Increasing the accuracy of basic sentence construction and refining the use of articles would significantly improve the overall quality of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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