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 shows the data of total population and migration to all five major districts of New York including Manhattan , Brooklyn , Queens and Staten island from 1800 to 2000.
overall, the population of New York city increased during the period . while population of Manhattan accounted for the majority in 1800 , its shared decreased in 2000. in contrast, other four districts experienced growth and became home for most residents.
in 1800, New York had a population of 79,216 .whereas, Manhattan had a population of 60,515 people or 76% total and other four districts had only 18,701 people which was only 24% of the total population.
in 1900, New York face increased in its population which is 3,437,202.however, in Manhattan there were 1,850,096 people which was 54% of total and 1,587,109 people was in other major districts which would be 46% of total population . In 2000, there were 8,009,185 people in New York , 1,538,096 was accounted in Manhattan or 19% of total . moreover, 6,471,089 was in other districts of New York which was 81% of total population .
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, identifying the overall growth in population and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts. However, the task requires a summary of all five districts, but the student groups four of them together as 'other four districts' throughout the report. This approach misses the opportunity to highlight specific trends for individual districts like Brooklyn or Queens, which are clearly visible in the provided tables. While the main trends are identified, the lack of specific detail for the individual districts limits the depth of the analysis, preventing a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific years. Cohesive devices such as 'overall', 'while', 'in contrast', and 'moreover' are used to link ideas. However, the referencing is sometimes repetitive, and the flow between sentences can feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different time periods, which helps the reader follow the progression of the data. To improve, the student should vary the transition phrases and ensure that the connection between the total population and the district-specific data is more fluid.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe trends such as 'increased', 'accounted for', and 'experienced growth'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'its shared decreased' (should be 'its share decreased') and 'New York face increased in its population' (should be 'faced an increase'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and relies heavily on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'proportion', 'fluctuated', or 'predominant'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'the tables shows' (subject-verb agreement), 'other four districts' (missing article 'the'), and '1,538,096 was accounted in Manhattan' (passive voice error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to distract the reader and indicate a lack of control over complex structures. More attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage is required.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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