Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-20
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 COMPARES THE TOTAL POPULATION OF NEW YORK CITY AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESIDENT BETWEEN MANHATTAN AND OTHER FOUR DISTRICT SUCH BROOKLYN,BRONX,QUEENS AND STATEN ISLAND IN 1800,1900 AND 2000.
OVERALL,NEW YORK CITY''S POPULATION INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE 200 YEAR PERIOD. AT THE SAME TIME MANHATTAN POPULATION DECREASE STEADILY WHILE OTHER FOUR DISTRICTS INCREASE ROSE CONSISTENTLY.
IN 1800, NEW YORK TOTAL POPULATION WAS 79,216 PEOPLE, OF THESE 60,515 INDIVIDUALS OR 76% LIVED IN MANHATTAN, AND 18,701 PEOPLE OR 24% ONLY LIVED IN OTHER DISTRICTS.
IN 1900, NEW YORK'S POPULATION GROWN STEADILY TO 3,437,202. MANHATTAN LEAD'S WITH 54% (1,850,093) OF NEW WORK POPULATION WHILE OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE INCREASE CONSISTENTLY TO 1,587,109 OR 46% OF NEW YORK.
IN 2000, NEW YORK CITY POPULATION ROSE INCREASE TO 8,009,202. HOWEVER, MANHATTAN'S POPULATION DECLINE TO 19% OR 1,538,096 INDIVIDUALS WHILE OTHER FOUR DISTRICTS HAVE RECORDED HIGHEST 6,471,089 PEOPLES OR 81% POPULATION COMPARE TO MANHATTAN WITH TOTAL.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the total population and the distribution across districts over the three specified years. The main features are identified, such as the significant overall growth and the shift in population share from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, relying heavily on listing figures rather than synthesizing the trends. The statement that Manhattan's population 'decreased steadily' is inaccurate, as the data shows an increase between 1800 and 1900, followed by a decline; this misinterpretation of the data slightly impacts the quality of the overview.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs for each time period. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In 1800', 'In 1900', and 'However', which help guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the final paragraph where the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts becomes slightly confusing due to the sentence structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of incorrect word forms, such as 'distribution of resident' instead of 'residents', and 'Manhattan lead's' instead of 'leads'. The use of 'peoples' is also incorrect in this context. While the student successfully uses numerical data, the range of vocabulary is limited, and the errors in word choice and morphology are noticeable, though they do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('population grown', 'Manhattan lead's'), incorrect verb tenses ('population decline' instead of 'declined'), and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after commas. While the meaning remains generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures, which limits the score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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