Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-24
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 given tables represent data regarding population difference in New York and its five districts between 1800 to 2000.
Overall, It is clear that there's a massive increase in overall population of the city New York at start. Furthermore the population of Manhattan declined at the end of the period while it kept increasing for other districts.
In 1800, New York total population was only 79,216 which kept increasing during this period and peaked at 8,009,185 in 2000.The four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) had proportion of 24% for the year 1800 with population of 18,701.This number further kept rising reached 81% in year 2000.
Furthermore, Manhattan comprising of 76% in year 1800 with population of 60,515 faced decline in 1900 reached 54% of total population and also was the only district that faced decline throughout the period as for year 2000 plummeted to only ratio of 19% with overall population 15,538,096.
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. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you state the 2000 population of Manhattan was 15,538,096, which is factually incorrect based on the provided tables. Additionally, the calculation of percentages and the interpretation of the 'four districts' grouping could be more precise. While you identify the main features, such as the overall growth and the specific decline in Manhattan, the inclusion of incorrect figures undermines the accuracy of the report. To improve, ensure that data is transcribed carefully and that comparisons are clearly linked to the provided figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs, which provides a logical structure. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'In 1800', and 'Overall' are used to connect ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel abrupt. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the 'four districts' as a collective group without explicitly naming the methodology used to derive those percentages. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for the description of trends (e.g., 'peaked', 'plummeted', 'decline'). However, there are instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'population difference' instead of 'population changes' and 'ratio of 19%' when referring to a percentage. There is also a lack of variety in reporting verbs and descriptive language. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise collocations and avoid repetitive structures when describing numerical changes.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including missing articles ('in year 2000', 'at start'), punctuation issues, and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'Manhattan comprising of 76% in year 1800... faced decline'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the clarity of the report. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions and articles would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.