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 provided tables contains information related to population growth of all five districts of New York City from 1800 to 2000.
Overall the population growth of New York City is enormous. From 1800 to 1900 it grew more than 4 times of its original number and from 1900 to 2000 it doubled its population.
It seems like most of the people used to live in Manhattan in 1800. Almost 76% of total population preferred Manhattan over the other 4 districts. As time goes on, people started to move on from Manhattan. After 100 years from 1800, the percentage dropped by 22% with a value of 1.8 million. By 2000, the percentage was only 19%. In fact, the total population of Manhattan dropped from 1.8 million to 1.5 million. On the other hand, rest of the districts gained population by huge margin.
In conclusion, the total population of Manhattan is decreasing in a concerning rate. In contrast, other 4 districts are becoming densely populated day by day.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main trends in the total population and the shift in distribution across districts. However, it fails to provide a comprehensive overview of the data. While it mentions the growth of NYC and the decline of Manhattan, it neglects to highlight the significant growth patterns of the other four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) individually or in groups, which are key features of the provided tables. The analysis is somewhat superficial, focusing heavily on Manhattan while ignoring the specific data points for the other districts. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that all parts of the data are represented and that comparisons are more balanced across all categories provided in the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a clear introduction, an overview, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In conclusion', 'On the other hand', 'In contrast'). The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transition between the general population growth and the specific district analysis could be smoother. Referencing is mostly clear, though the connection between the tables could be more explicitly stated to improve the flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. Phrases like 'enormous', 'huge margin', and 'concerning rate' are somewhat simplistic. There are also minor issues with collocation, such as 'move on from Manhattan' and 'gained population by huge margin', which sound slightly unnatural. To improve, you should aim to use more academic vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'significant increase', 'substantial decline', or 'proportionate shift', and ensure that your word choices are more precise when describing statistical changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'The provided tables contains' (subject-verb agreement), 'grew more than 4 times of its original number' (awkward phrasing), and 'rest of the districts' (missing article). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and refining your sentence structure to ensure that complex sentences are grammatically accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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