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 table represents the information about the variance in the total population of New York city between 1800 and 2000. The second and third tables displays information about the change in the population of the five different districts of the city over the same period.
Overall, it can be seen population of New york in beginning years was smaller in numbers and Manhattan was dominating other disricts while other districts was accounting for smaller share. In the last years in the table, other districts were accounted for larger share and Manhattan was representing smaller share.
In the year 1900, New York was representing population of 79,216 in total numbers, And Manhattan was the one dominating other with population share of 76% while other was representing 24% of population. Although, In the year 1900, New York's Population increased to 3,437,202 in numbers and Manhattan was representing almost half of its population.
And In the Year 2000, New York's Population was almost 8,009,185 and Manhattan this time was representing only the 19% of share while other districts were dominating the overall 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, including the total population growth and the shift in the proportion of residents living in Manhattan versus the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the report mentions 'other districts' as a collective group without identifying the specific trends of individual districts like Brooklyn or Queens, which are clearly listed in the tables. Furthermore, there is a factual error in the text: the student states the population in 1900 was 79,216, whereas the table indicates this figure for 1800. This inaccuracy impacts the overall quality of the data reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs, which provides a basic logical structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'and' to start sentences or link clauses. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to 'other districts' without specifying which ones are being discussed. Paragraphing is present, but the progression of ideas within the paragraphs feels disjointed due to the lack of varied linking words and phrases.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. The student relies heavily on repetitive phrasing, such as 'representing', 'dominating', and 'share'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'variance in the total population' (which is not the best fit for describing growth) and 'beginning years'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or academic terminology to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'accounted for', or 'proportionate shift'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'tables displays', 'other districts was'), missing articles (e.g., 'in beginning years'), and incorrect verb tenses. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary capitalisation (e.g., 'Year', 'Population') and comma splices. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
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