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 first table chart compares change in the total population of New York city in between 1800 and 2000, whereas second and third tables show changes in the population of five different districts of city Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, queens, Staten island over the same time period.
Overall, New York had rise in population over the time period, moreover Manhattan and other districts also gain population over the time.
In New York, there were 79,216 number of individuals living in 1800, in next 100 years the population grow to 3,437,202 by the end of 19th centuary but as 2000 began number of people living in new York starts growing again massively there was 8,009,185 people in 2000.
on other hand side, Manhattan and other districts was had 60,515 and 18,701 respectively in 1800, 76% and 24% of total population, then in 1900 both gain massive number of population around 1,850,093 and 1,587,109 and total of 54% or 46% respectively, in last 2000 Manhattan population fall to 1,538,096, whereas other districts grow expontnaly to 6,471,089.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by summarizing the total population growth and the shifts between Manhattan and other districts. However, the reporting of data is inconsistent and contains inaccuracies. For instance, the text states that in 1900, Manhattan had 1,850,093 people and other districts had 1,587,109, which does not align with the provided table data. Additionally, the description of the trends is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical focus on the most significant changes. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision in data reporting limits the effectiveness of the summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or awkward, such as 'on other hand side' and 'in last 2000'. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the transition between the general population overview and the specific district breakdown. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be improved with more varied and natural linking words to better connect the data points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word-choice errors, such as 'gain population' instead of 'gained population' or 'population fall' instead of 'population fell'. The use of 'expontnaly' (exponentially) is a spelling error, and the phrasing 'number of individuals living in 1800' is repetitive. To improve, you should focus on using more precise verbs and nouns related to statistical trends, such as 'surged', 'declined', or 'proportion'.
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. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('Manhattan and other districts was had'), tense inconsistencies ('population grow' instead of 'grew'), and punctuation errors. The sentence structure is often repetitive, relying on basic conjunctions. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focusing on consistent verb tenses and correct article usage would significantly improve the quality of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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