Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-05
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 tables illustrate how the total population had been changed in New York city and compared changes in the population of five districts between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, the total population of the New York city increased significantly over the period of time. Manhattan city showed a gradual decline of the proportion of the total population. In addition, other districts also experienced a consistent growth.
Total population of the New York city had a 79, 216 of population in 1800. That population grew from 3,437,202 in 1900 to 8,009,185 in 2000 gradually.
While Manhattan city showed a declined of its population rate, other districts had a significant growth of the percentage of the population. Manhattan population rate was 76% in 1800 and it decreased slightly to 54% in 1900. After that, it rapidly declined to 19% in 2000. However, other districts had a 24% of population rate in 1800. It was comparatively lower than the population rate of Manhattan in the same year. Other districts showed a 465 population rate in 1900 and it rose to 81% in 2000 showing a significant growth than Manhattan from 1900 to 2000.
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 features of the data, including the total population growth and the shifting proportions of the districts. However, there are inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you mention '465 population rate' for other districts in 1900, which is a misinterpretation of the data. Additionally, the description of the total population growth is slightly disjointed, as you provide a specific figure for 1800 and then jump to 1900 without clearly linking the trend. To improve, ensure that all data points are transcribed accurately and that the comparison between the districts is more clearly structured to highlight the contrast between Manhattan's decline and the growth of the other areas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific data sets. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'While', and 'However' are used to connect ideas. However, the progression within the final paragraph is somewhat mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the transition between the population rates of Manhattan and the other districts. The use of cohesive devices is sufficient but could be more varied to improve the flow between sentences and paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for the description of trends such as 'gradual decline', 'consistent growth', and 'rapidly declined'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choice errors, such as 'Manhattan city' (Manhattan is a borough/district, not a city) and '465 population rate', which is likely a typo or misreading of the table. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise terminology regarding statistical trends and avoid repeating the same phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the total population had been changed' (should be 'had changed' or 'changed'), 'a declined of its population' (should be 'a decline in'), and 'a 465 population rate' (which is grammatically confusing). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the general meaning, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall accuracy. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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