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 table illustrates change in total population of NEW YORK CITY. while other two table demonstrate the changes in the number of people in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island over the period, between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, it is clear that there was significant increased in residents in New York city over the period. Whereas, Manhattan district had largest number of population lived compared to others but in final years their number higher .
In 1800, the number of people who lived there are 79216, followed by Manhattan 60,515 in number that around 76% of total population. In other districts 18701 residents lived and they just 24% of whole population.
In 1900, the number went up dramatically at 3,437,202, In contrast Manhattan had rose of [redacted phone] in number and it percentage increase to 54. In other four places the number are [redacted phone] and 46% of all population.
In 2000, it sharply boosted to [redacted phone] of all city, moreover in Manhattan decreased to [redacted phone] and its at 19% of all residents compared to others where number rose to [redacted phone] nd at 8%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 growth and the shift in population distribution between Manhattan and other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, cohesive overview. While the key trends are identified, the comparison between the districts is occasionally confusing, particularly in the final paragraph where the data interpretation becomes unclear. The response would benefit from a more precise selection of data points to support the main trends rather than listing raw numbers, which can make the report feel like a data dump rather than a summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the chronological progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the misuse of 'Whereas' at the start of a sentence or 'moreover' in the final paragraph. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which districts are being compared. The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, and the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Improved use of linking words and better paragraph transitions would enhance the clarity of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'significant increased' instead of 'significant increase' and 'Manhattan had rose' instead of 'Manhattan had risen'. The student relies on basic descriptive terms like 'number' and 'places' repeatedly. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and the presence of errors in word form limit the score. Expanding the range of reporting verbs and nouns would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the number of people who lived there are') and incorrect verb tenses ('Manhattan had rose'). Punctuation is also problematic, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader and indicate a lack of control over complex structures. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for tense consistency would significantly improve the quality of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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