Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-25
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 first table illustrates the variations in the number of population of New York city between 1800 and 2000.
The second and third tables depict that how the rate of population changes in five districts of New York city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, the table one showed increasing trend over the period. The second table experienced slight rose then it fell marginally, while third table represented significant climb in population throughout the period.
The total population of New York city was 79216 in 1800, it surged to [redacted phone] in 1900, before reaching to [redacted phone] in 2000.
However, the population of Manhattan and other districts was 60515 and 18701 in 1800 respectively, which was 76% and 24% as proportion of total population correspondingly. The number of residents grew significantly to [redacted phone] with 54% in Manhattan and [redacted phone] with 46% in other districts in 1900. While the population of Manhattan dipped minimally to [redacted phone] with 19% in 2000, other districts number of residents increased sharply to [redacted phone] with 81% in 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 features of the data, including the total population growth and the shifting proportions between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat limited. While you identify the key trends, the report lacks a more detailed breakdown of the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) as requested by the prompt, grouping them instead as 'other districts'. To achieve a higher band, ensure that you highlight specific data points for the individual districts rather than just the aggregate. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated to highlight the most significant shifts over the two-century period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'while', and 'correspondingly', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the total population to the specific district comparisons. To improve, focus on varying the cohesive devices to ensure the flow between sentences is more natural and less repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, though the distinction between the tables could be more explicitly stated in the body paragraphs to guide the reader.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'variations', 'surged', 'marginally', and 'proportion'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'the table one showed increasing trend' (missing an article) and 'other districts number of residents' (awkward phrasing). The use of 'depict that how' is also grammatically incorrect. To reach a higher band, focus on more precise collocations and ensure that your vocabulary is used in grammatically correct structures. Avoid repetitive phrasing when describing trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'the number of population' should be 'the population', and 'the table one showed increasing trend' requires an article ('an increasing trend'). There are also issues with punctuation and sentence construction, such as 'before reaching to 8009185' (the preposition 'to' is unnecessary here). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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