Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-11
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 table shows changes in total population of New York City and its all five districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the years from 1800 to 2000.
Population of New York City was roughly 79,216 in early 1800s in next hundred years city experienced a huge increase in population. In 1900 population increased up to 45x roughly around 3.5 million combining all five districts until 2000 it tripled around 8.1 million people.
A district of New York City (Manhattan) was holding around 76% of total population in 1800 until other districts started urbanising. In 2000 Manhattan made roughly 19% of the total population of New York City. As per other districts including (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) were holding around 81% of the total population of New York City.
In conclusion population of New York City quadrippled each year, while Manhattan played a big part until 1900s. As the development increased in other districts the population also increased.
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 overall population growth and the shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the data reporting is inconsistent and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, stating the population 'quadrupled each year' is a significant misinterpretation of the data, as the growth was over two centuries, not annually. Furthermore, the calculation of percentages for the other districts in 2000 is not clearly supported by the provided tables. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in reporting figures and the misinterpretation of timeframes limit the effectiveness of the summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'In 1900' and 'In 2000'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the third paragraph where the transition between Manhattan's data and the other districts is abrupt. While the paragraphing is functional, the internal flow between sentences could be improved to ensure a smoother reading experience.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'huge increase' and 'big part' are somewhat informal and imprecise. There are also issues with word choice, such as 'quadruppled each year', which is factually incorrect and reflects a misuse of terminology. While the student attempts to use specific terms like 'urbanising', the overall range is limited, and the errors in reporting figures detract from the professional tone expected in an Academic Task 1 response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'Population of New York City', 'In 2000 Manhattan made'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing ('As per other districts including...'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of parentheses. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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