Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-29
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 tabular charts illustrates the population of individuals living in the New York from year 1800 to 2000. The other tables depicts the population of five districts of the city.
At the first glance, it is evident that in first given year, 79,216 number of people used to live in New York. Interestingly, a surge in the populace of individuals was witnessed in the year 1990 and 2000, which was accounted forn3,37,202 and 8,009,185, orderly. In Manhattan, a proportion of 76% populace with total 18,701 residents was witnessed in 1800. In the next given year, 1,850,093 number of residents live there with a proportion of 5% of total population.
Moving towards the rest of information, it is apparent that a total of 19% population was used to live in Manhattan in last given year. A count of 18,701 people used to live in other regions like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island etcetera, which shows a per centum of 24 as total populace. In year 1900, 46 per centum of residents lived in these regions, which was accounted for 46%. The proportion of total population was 81 witnessed in 2000 who preferred to live in other districts.
Overall, undoubtedly it can be said that the preference of residents to live in New York was changed in year 2000 and surged to a peak point.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the data presentation is inconsistent and contains inaccuracies. For instance, the figures for 1990 and 2000 are misquoted, and the term 'orderly' is used incorrectly to mean 'respectively'. The analysis of the district data is confusing, particularly the attempt to group the other four districts together, which obscures the specific trends for each. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in reporting the data and the failure to clearly compare the five districts individually limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing. Cohesive devices are used, but often incorrectly or mechanically, such as 'Moving towards the rest of information' and 'At the first glance'. The transition between the general population data and the district-specific data is abrupt. While the reader can follow the general intent, the lack of clear signposting and the repetitive structure of the sentences make the flow feel disjointed. Paragraphing is present but does not effectively group related ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains several non-standard or misused terms. Phrases like 'per centum' are archaic and inappropriate for this context, and 'accounted forn3' is a clear typographical error. There is also a lack of precision in reporting data, with repetitive use of basic verbs like 'lived' and 'witnessed'. While the student attempts to use some academic vocabulary, the inaccuracies in word choice and the frequent errors in data reporting impede the overall clarity of the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally cause confusion. Subject-verb agreement issues are common, such as 'tabular charts illustrates' and 'other tables depicts'. There are also errors in sentence structure, such as 'a total of 19% population was used to live', which is grammatically incorrect. Punctuation is inconsistent, and the use of articles is frequently missing or misused. While the student attempts some complex structures, they are often faulty, and the high frequency of errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
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.