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 tables describe the changes in the total population of New York City and its five districts, including Manhattan and the others, over the same period.
Overall, the tables show that a significant proportion of the population in the Manhattan district was in the year 1800, at 76%, and in the other districts, the population significantly increased to 81% by 2000.
The first table shows the population in New York City over three centuries: 1800, 1900, and 2000. In 1800, it was 79216, in 1900, it increased to 3,437,202; and in 2000, it became 8,009,185.
The second table shows that 76% of the city's population was in Manhattan in 1800, at some 60515, while the population rose in 1900 and 2000 to [redacted phone] and [redacted phone], respectively, but the percentage fell to 54% and then 19%.
The third table shows that in other districts, the population was 18,701, 1,587,109, and 6,471,089 in each century, and the percentage also rose from 24% to 46 and later to 81%
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 overall population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical, simply listing figures from the tables rather than synthesizing them effectively. The overview is present but lacks a clear, high-level summary of the most significant trends, such as the dramatic reversal in population dominance. While all parts of the task are addressed, the reporting of data is occasionally repetitive, and the comparison between the districts could be more analytical to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific table or aspect of the data. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall,' 'In 1800,' and 'while,' which help guide the reader through the information. However, the transition between the paragraphs is somewhat basic, and the use of referencing could be more varied. The structure is clear, but the flow between sentences occasionally feels like a list of facts rather than a cohesive report. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sets of data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the data clearly. There is some repetition of basic verbs like 'shows' and 'increased.' While the student successfully uses terms like 'proportion' and 'districts,' the range is limited. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise vocabulary to describe the trends (e.g., 'surged,' 'plummeted,' or 'accounted for'). The language is functional and clear, but it lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'was in the year 1800, at 76%,' which is slightly awkward phrasing. Punctuation is generally correct, though the use of semicolons in the third paragraph is a bit forced. Most sentences are clear, and the errors do not impede communication. To improve, the student should aim for more varied sentence structures and ensure that subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are consistently accurate throughout the text.
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.