Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-23
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 former table illustrates variation in the accumulated population of New York City over two centuries between 1800 and 2000, while accompanying tables highlight difference in the population of five district of New York City over the same duration.
Overall, it is clear that population of New York City was highest, where the commutative population of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island was dominant by the end of given duration.
In 1800, New York City's overall population was least compared to that in 1900 and 2000, stood at 79216. Furthermore, in the beginning of given period 76% of total City's population was contributed by Manhattan, while remaining 18701 was recorded of other four districts. Similarly, in 1900 the total population of New York City surged to [redacted phone], where [redacted phone] were residents of Manhattan while remaining 46% of total population was allocated by Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. Lastly, at the end of duration, in 2000, total population of City was calculated as [redacted phone]. With time the population of Manhattan declined whereas combining population of remaining four district rose. Therefore, in 2000, 81% of majority of total population of City was by rest four districts while Manhattan residents were only 19
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 and provides relevant data points from the tables. You successfully identified the overall growth in population and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting; for instance, the population in 1800 is cited as 79,216, but the table shows 79,216 for Manhattan alone, not the total. Additionally, the phrasing '81% of majority' is confusing and mathematically imprecise. To reach a higher band, ensure that data is transcribed accurately and that comparisons are clearly articulated without redundant or contradictory terminology.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In 1800', 'Similarly', and 'Lastly' to guide the reader. However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final sentence where 'rest four districts' and '19' (missing a percentage sign) appear abruptly. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the data points more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accumulated', 'surged', and 'allocated'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'commutative population' (likely meant cumulative) and 'allocated by' (which is not the correct preposition for this context). The final sentence is also missing a percentage sign after '19', which affects clarity. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that collocations are natural and accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including missing articles ('of five district' should be 'of the five districts') and issues with subject-verb agreement ('population of New York City was highest'). Some sentences are slightly clunky, such as '81% of majority of total population of City was by rest four districts'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on article usage and prepositional accuracy would significantly strengthen your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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