Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-26
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 table illustrate the changes in total population of the New York City and the other five districts of the city Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, it can be seen the New York City got the highest number of population increased in 200 year of time period. Similarly Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island this four cities altogether got increased being the second most people lived by year 2000.
In the New York City, in 1800 the total population was 79,216 and by end of the period it saw a huge increase and the population remained in 8,009,185. Just like Manhattan started with the 76% of the total population of the country but by year 2000 it dropped and the city only covered 19% of the population.
Remaining combined of four cities population covered was the least among the other cities at just 24% but by the end of the given period it surpassed the Manhattan population and now these cities covered almost 81 % of the country.
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, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The student identifies the total growth and the percentage shift but fails to provide a more detailed comparison of the specific trends within the individual districts (e.g., the growth patterns of Brooklyn or Queens). The use of the word 'country' to refer to the city districts is inaccurate and confusing, which impacts the clarity of the reporting. To reach a higher band, the student should provide more precise data points and ensure terminology is accurate.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and some mechanical use of cohesive devices. For example, 'Similarly Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island this four cities altogether' is grammatically disjointed and lacks smooth transitions. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the connection between the overall trend and the specific data points could be more fluid. While the paragraphing is present, the internal cohesion within paragraphs needs improvement to ensure ideas flow naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are instances of word-choice errors, such as referring to the districts as 'the country' and 'this four cities'. The phrase 'got the highest number of population increased' is unnatural and imprecise. The range of vocabulary is limited, relying on basic descriptors like 'huge increase' and 'covered'. To improve, the student should focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to statistical reporting, such as 'experienced a significant rise' or 'accounted for a proportion of'.
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. Subject-verb agreement issues are present, such as 'The given table illustrate' (should be 'illustrates') and 'this four cities' (should be 'these four cities'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrasing. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from being considered accurate. The student should focus on proofreading for basic agreement and ensuring that sentence structures are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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