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 tables represents the spread of population of New York City and its five different districts over the time-period of [redacted phone] using 3 different tables.
As per the table, we can see, as we move ahead with time the population keeps on increasing. From 1800 to 2000, overall population increased exponentially i.e. around tenth-fold.
In year 1800, Manhattan district alone had more than 60,000 (~75%) of the population whereas, the other four districts combined was less than 20,000 (24%).
However, we see the population started getting distributed between Manhattan and the other four districts as time flows. By 1900, Manhattan had about 54% of total population of New York which is 8% higher than all the other districts combined.
Finally, In the year 2000, we see a drastic change in the population among these districts. People seems to prefer other districts more than Manhattan as it only have 19% of the total population of New York whereas the other four districts have more than 80% of the population.
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 trends, such as the exponential growth of the total population and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student identifies the start and end points but fails to provide a more nuanced description of the intermediate data points or the specific growth patterns of the individual districts. The use of 'tenth-fold' is imprecise, and the calculation of percentages is occasionally slightly inaccurate based on the provided data. To reach a higher band, the student should provide a more detailed comparison of the specific districts rather than grouping them broadly as 'the other four'.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, a general overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific time periods. The progression of ideas is clear, moving chronologically from 1800 to 2000. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'As per the table', 'However', 'Finally'). Referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the general population trend and the district-specific data could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the overall flow would benefit from a wider variety of linking words to connect the data points more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe trends (e.g., 'exponentially', 'distributed', 'drastic change'). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'spread of population' instead of 'population distribution' and 'tenth-fold' which is not standard usage. The phrase 'as we move ahead with time' is slightly informal for an academic report. While the student attempts to use some less common vocabulary, the control is not consistent, and the range is somewhat limited, preventing a higher score in this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The tables represents', 'People seems', 'it only have') and minor punctuation errors. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. The use of complex structures is attempted, but the accuracy is inconsistent. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that plural/singular forms are used correctly throughout the response.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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