Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-07
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 table charts illustrate the report on the changes regarding the population in New york City including the five districts -- Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island -- recorded in 1800, 1900 and 2000.
Regarding the overall population in New York city in 1800, it accounted for around 80000 in numbers of people with 76% of the numbers being in Manhattan and the rest in the other four district -- 24% or 18.7 million.
In 1900, the numbers increased largely with around 2 million difference ( comprising approximately 3 million). Almost 2 million was related to Manhattan and the other 1.5 million was reported from the Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island.
By 2000, New york city's population surged from 3 to 8 million people. The proportions were mainly in the four districts with around 6 million which equaled to 81%. The rest was in Manhattan, hovering around 1.5 million (19%) out of the total.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main trends, but there are significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, you state the 1800 population was 80,000, but the data shows 79,216. More critically, you mention '18.7 million' for the other districts in 1800, which is a major misreading of the table. The summary of the 1900 and 2000 data is also imprecise. While you identify the main features (the overall growth and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts), the lack of accuracy in reporting the figures prevents a higher band score. Ensure you double-check the numbers against the source material.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction and separate paragraphs for different time periods. This provides a clear structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. Phrases like 'Regarding the overall population' and 'In 1900' are functional but repetitive. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'the rest was in Manhattan, hovering around 1.5 million (19%) out of the total' in the final paragraph, which contradicts the actual data trends. Improving the flow between sentences would help the essay read more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'charts', 'illustrate', 'accounted for', and 'surged'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as '80000 in numbers of people' (which is wordy) and 'the numbers increased largely' (where 'significantly' or 'dramatically' would be more appropriate). There are also minor errors in capitalization, such as 'New york city', which should be 'New York City'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensuring consistent capitalization.
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 other four district' (should be plural 'districts') and 'the numbers increased largely with around 2 million difference'. Additionally, the sentence 'The proportions were mainly in the four districts with around 6 million which equaled to 81%' is slightly awkward; 'equaled' does not require the preposition 'to'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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