Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31
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 three tables depict the increment of population in 3 consecutive centuries from 1800 to 2000 in New York City and its 5 other districts, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.
The first table shows the total population of New York City in all five districts. It shows an increasing graph from 79216 in 1800 to [redacted phone] in 1900 and finally more than double of the population in the year 2000. Obviously, the huge urbanization in New York city has resulted the vast increase in population.
The comparison shows a drastic decline of population in Manhattan from 76% in 1800 to 54% in 1900 to only 19% in 2000, whereas it is exactly the opposite in other districts with an increment from 24% in 1800 to 46% in 1900 to almost double in 2000.
From this, we can conclude the rapid urbanization of other four districts of New York City in compariosn to Manhattan.
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 trends, such as the total population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the report mentions 'more than double' for the year 2000 without providing the specific figure (8,008,278), which is a key piece of data. Additionally, the statement 'the huge urbanization... has resulted the vast increase' is an over-generalization that lacks specific evidence from the tables. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more specific data points from the tables to support your observations rather than relying on general descriptions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs for the total population and the district comparison, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'whereas' and 'in comparison to', which help link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The transition between the total population data and the percentage breakdown could be smoother. Furthermore, the final sentence is a bit abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would improve the overall flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'urbanization', 'drastic decline', and 'increment'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'increment of population' is less natural than 'population growth', and 'resulted the vast increase' is grammatically incorrect (it should be 'resulted in'). There is also a spelling error ('compariosn'). To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure accurate spelling of key terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'resulted the vast increase' lacks the necessary preposition, and 'in 3 consecutive centuries' is slightly awkward. There are also minor punctuation and phrasing issues, such as 'more than double of the population'. The control of grammar is sufficient to communicate the main points, but more consistent accuracy and a wider variety of complex structures would be required for a higher band score.
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.