Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-19
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 shows that New York city population of all districts is Seventy nine thousand two hundred and sixteen in 1800. After 1900 the population gradually increase to a significant number Thirty four lakh, thirty seven thousand and two hundred two, And in 2000 its reaches up to Eighty lakh, Nine thousand and one hundred eighty five.
The second table demonstrate the population of Manhattan a district of New York. In 1800 his population about 60,515 which is approximately 76 percent of total population of New York. Its decrease dwon in 1900, the population 1,850,093 which is 54 percent of all over total population of New York. At last in 2000, its gradullay down to 1,538,096 which is about 19 percent of all total population.
The Last table giving the remaining population of four districts. In 1800 the population of remaining districts is 18,701 which is 24 percent of total population of New York. In 1900, it reachea up to 1,587,109 approximately 46 percent, and in 2000 its significantly increases to 6,471,089 almost 81 percent of total population of New York.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the tables, including the total population figures and the breakdown between Manhattan and the other districts across the three selected years. Key data points such as population numbers and percentages are accurately cited from the prompt data, for example, noting that Manhattan represented 76% in 1800 and dropped to 19% in 2000. However, the report lacks a clear overall summary or overview paragraph to highlight the broader trends, such as the dramatic decentralisation of the population over the two-century period. Because all key data is addressed but the overview aspect is missing, the response meets the criteria for Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a clear overall arrangement and is divided into logical paragraphs focusing on the total population, Manhattan, and the remaining districts respectively. Cohesive devices and sequencing phrases like 'The first table', 'The second table demonstrate', and 'The Last table giving' are used to structure the text, although some grammatical errors occur within these links. Referencing is generally clear, and the progression of information follows the structure of the visual data. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but overall cohesion is sometimes mechanical and faulty in places, aligning the response with Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with correct references to numbers, percentages, and geographical terms such as 'population', 'districts', and 'percentage'. However, there are notable non-standard number translations ('Thirty four lakh') and word choice or spelling errors such as 'demonstrate' instead of 'demonstrates', 'dwon', and 'gradullay'. While the student attempts less common vocabulary, inaccuracies in spelling and word form prevent a higher score. The lexical range is minimally sufficient to convey the intended message, placing it firmly at Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses like 'which is approximately 76 percent'. However, grammatical accuracy is weak throughout the text, featuring frequent errors such as subject-verb agreement issues ('New York city population... is', 'population gradually increase'), missing auxiliary verbs ('It decrease dwon'), and incorrect prepositions or pronoun usage ('In 1800 his population'). These errors require some effort from the reader to interpret, although communication is not totally impeded. This level of control corresponds to a Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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