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)
In the given table, the changes depicted in the population of New York City and five other cities of the USA from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, there is a highly increasing number of people in all cities, especially in the period of 1900 to 2000.
In the year 1800, New York City and five other districts' populations were around 79,000 and 18,701. But there is a sharp increase in absorption. In the year 1900, it was around 3.4 million and 1.5 million. Also, in the year 2000, there was an increase of around 5 million in birth growth in New York City as well as five other cities.
In Mnahattan, the population was around 76% in the year 1800. The number of birth growths was rapidly increasing, reaching 1.8 million in one century. however, the population was slowly decreasing in year 2000 and sustain at 1.5 million
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you identify the main trend of population growth, the analysis is incomplete. You misinterpret the data by referring to 'five other cities' instead of the five boroughs of New York City. Furthermore, the description of the data is imprecise; for instance, you mention 'birth growth' instead of total population figures, and the specific data points for the boroughs are not fully explored or compared effectively. To improve, ensure you accurately identify the categories provided in the prompt and provide a more comprehensive overview of the data across all time periods.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by unclear referencing and awkward transitions. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'In the year'. The connection between the overall trend and the specific borough data is weak, making the flow of information feel disjointed. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'in contrast', 'furthermore') to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus that contributes to the overall summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and occasionally inaccurate. Phrases like 'sharp increase in absorption' and 'birth growth' are not appropriate for describing population statistics. There are also spelling errors, such as 'Mnahattan'. While you attempt to use some descriptive language, the lack of precision in terminology prevents a higher score. Focus on using more academic collocations related to data reporting, such as 'significant surge', 'steady decline', or 'population figures', rather than relying on informal or imprecise phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the changes depicted in the population' (missing a verb) and 'sustain at 1.5 million' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization and sentence boundaries. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that your sentences are complete. Practicing the use of complex structures like relative clauses or passive voice will help improve your range, provided they are used accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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