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 first table displays information about population in New York City across three centuries although other two tables display similar data of people residing in districts of the same. Moreover, distribution of people in all five districts as well.

In the year 1800, amongst the total number of people living in the City, maximum habitants lived in Manhattan whilst rest resided in following regional areas. This scenario changed in the next upcoming years. People started migrating to other places as well. Habitants were divided almost equally in both areas. Although, Manhattan still held the most number of residents.

In the year 2000, due to several reasons citizens migrated from the main heart of United States of America to the outskirts. Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island started holding the maximum number of population i.e. 81% of the total. A dramatic change over just 100 years was unexpected and amusing .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to adequately address the task. While it mentions the population data, it lacks a clear overview and fails to report the specific figures provided in the tables. The description of the data is vague, using terms like 'maximum habitants' and 'several reasons' without referencing the actual statistics (e.g., the specific population growth from 1800 to 2000). The analysis is superficial and misses key trends, such as the significant growth in Brooklyn and Queens. To improve, you must select and report key data points to support your summary rather than providing a general narrative.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover' and 'Although', but they are sometimes used incorrectly or in a way that does not help the flow of ideas. For example, the sentence 'Moreover, distribution of people in all five districts as well' is a fragment and lacks a clear connection to the previous sentence. The referencing is also unclear, particularly when referring to 'both areas' without specifying which ones.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and occasionally inaccurate. Words like 'habitants' (should be 'inhabitants') and 'amusing' (which is inappropriate for a formal report on population data) demonstrate a lack of precision. The phrase 'main heart of United States of America' is not standard academic English. You rely on basic vocabulary and struggle to use less common items effectively. To reach a higher band, focus on using precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'experienced significant growth', or 'accounted for'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'although other two tables' (missing 'the'), 'rest resided in following regional areas' (missing 'the'), and 'most number of residents' (should be 'highest number'). Punctuation is also problematic, with spaces before periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and article usage 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.