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 first table illustrates changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The second and third table demonstrates changes in the population of the five different districts of the city over the same period.
Overall, the population in the New York City increased abruptly in 1900 and incremented surprisingly in the next decade. The population in Manhattan also inclined massively but as the percentage of total population declined throughout the period and the population in other districts also increased significantly. However, its percentage as the total population also increased rapidly.
The New York City encountered a massive inclination in its population from 79,216 in 1800 to 3,437,202 in 1800 and 8,009,185 in 2000. However, as the percentage of total population faced an abrupt decline throughout the time,
The other districts population also increased from 18,701 in 1800 to 1,587,109 in 1900 which further incremented to 6,471,089 in 2000 whereas as the percentages of the total population followed the immense inclination till the end of period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarise the data but fails to provide a clear, accurate overview. There are significant factual errors, such as stating the population in 1800 was 3,437,202, which contradicts the provided table. The report lacks a logical selection of data, and the comparison between the total population and the five districts is confusingly presented. The final paragraph is incomplete, ending abruptly with a comma, which leaves the task unfinished. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision and the failure to complete the summary significantly impact the overall achievement of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as the repetitive use of 'however' and 'whereas' without clear logical connection to the preceding clauses. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the 'other districts' versus the total population. The final sentence is a fragment, which disrupts the flow and cohesion of the text. Overall, the organisation is present but lacks the necessary control to guide the reader effectively through the data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. The student relies on words like 'inclined', 'incremented', and 'massive' multiple times, often in contexts where they are not collocationally appropriate (e.g., 'inclined massively' is not standard usage for population growth). There are also issues with word choice, such as 'abruptly' to describe a long-term trend. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of precision and the reliance on a narrow range of descriptive terms prevent a higher score. More varied and precise terminology is needed to describe statistical trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The second and third table demonstrates') and awkward phrasing that hinders readability. Punctuation is problematic, particularly the comma splice at the end of the third paragraph and the incomplete sentence structure. While the meaning is usually clear, the frequency of grammatical errors and the lack of control over complex sentence structures indicate a limited range of grammatical accuracy.
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