Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-28

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 gives information about the change in number of population located in New York City which includes all five districts, while the two others illustrate with more precision the share population split between those districts. The given period is from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the population of New York City has significantly increased. Earlier, Manhattan had the majority of population living there there while the other districts had fewer than a third of the population. One century after we started to see a shift from Manhattan to the other districts. Once again, a century later, the Manhattan dropped drastically from around half of share of the population living there below a quarter. As a consequence, the share of people living in the other districts almost doubled.

In the 1800, New York city was around 80000 people and 200 centuries later its population made a jump to 8,009,185 citizens.

Manhattan saw its population from 1800 which was to 60,515 to 1,538,096. Even those it rose, we see that less people started to live there and moved to the other 5 districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) and went from 18,701 people in 1800 to 6,471,089 people which accounts respectively for 24 and 81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the response lacks precision in reporting data. For example, you mention '200 centuries later' instead of 'two centuries later', and the data interpretation in the final paragraph is confusing, particularly the claim that the other districts account for '81%' of the population, which is not clearly supported by the provided tables. To improve, ensure that all figures are accurately transcribed and that comparisons are clearly linked to specific years or periods to avoid ambiguity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Once again, a century later' and 'As a consequence'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the shift in population distribution. While there is an overall progression, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the data points more fluidly rather than listing them in a somewhat repetitive manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'change in number of population' are wordy and unnatural; 'population growth' or 'demographic changes' would be more appropriate. You also struggle with collocations, such as 'Manhattan dropped drastically from around half of share'. There are some errors in word choice that, while they do not impede communication, prevent the response from reaching a higher level of sophistication. Focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends and statistical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that detract from the quality of the writing. Examples include 'In the 1800' (should be 'In 1800'), 'Even those it rose' (should be 'Even though it rose'), and the misuse of '200 centuries'. Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction and tense consistency.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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