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 table illustrates how the total population changed in New York City for 200 years time period. On the other hand, the second table displays how the residents had changed in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island between 1800 to 2000.
Overall, The total number of population increased over the period, whereas the percentage of total population of Manhattan declined, while the other four cities percentage of total population rose.
In the initial year, 79216 people used to lived in New York City. In the next century, the population significantly went up to [redacted phone]. In the end period, [redacted phone] people counted as the population of the city.
In 1800, in Manhattan 60515 people accounted as the 76% of the total population, in contrast, the other four cities population was the 24% of the total population. In 1900, the population of four cities almost doubled and counted as the 46% of the total population, which is around [redacted phone] people. By the end period, 81% of the total population lived in the four cities and 19% of total population([redacted phone]) was in Manhattan.
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 the main features of the data, including the total population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other four districts. However, the analysis is somewhat limited. While you identify the trends, the comparison between the districts could be more detailed. For instance, you mention the 'other four cities' as a group, but the prompt provides data for each district, and grouping them entirely misses the opportunity to highlight specific growth patterns (e.g., Brooklyn's significant rise). The overview is clear, but the supporting data points could be more precisely selected to better illustrate the magnitude of change over the 200-year period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as 'On the other hand' in the introduction, which is not the most appropriate transition for introducing a second table. Referencing is sometimes repetitive, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the total population trends from the district-specific data, which helps the reader follow the information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic verbs like 'increased', 'rose', and 'went up'. There are also some awkward collocations and phrasing, such as 'In the end period' and 'people counted as the population'. While the meaning is clear, the range of vocabulary is limited to common terms. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated synonyms and precise academic collocations to describe statistical trends, such as 'experienced a substantial surge' or 'accounted for a significant proportion'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'for 200 years time period' (missing preposition/article), 'people used to lived' (incorrect verb form), and 'the other four cities percentage' (missing possessive). While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. Improving your control over articles, verb tenses, and possessive structures will significantly enhance the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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