Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-20
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 tables provide information on the changes in total popultion of New York City as well as the population changes among five districts of the city from 1800 to 2000.
Overall , the total population drastically increased over the period with Manhattan showing a deviation from the trend compared to the other districts in the city.
The total population in the New York City rose from roughly 79,000 to just over 8,000,000 by the year 2000. The district namely - Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island- followed this increasing trend in population . The figures raised from around 18,000 in 1800 covering 24% of total population and peaked to about 81% of the total population
However, Mahatlan showe opposite trend . It started with approximately 60,000 in 1800 whivh contributed 76% of the world population and increased to around 1,86,000 by the year 1900. Conversely, this figure dropped slightly
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the tables, noting the overall population growth and the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. An overview is present. However, there are significant data errors and omissions. The student writes that the Manhattan population 'increased to around 1,86,000 by the year 1900' (the actual figure is over 1.85 million), and the response trails off mid-sentence, leaving the 2000 data for Manhattan unmentioned. Furthermore, the text falls one word short of the 150-word minimum length requirement, which incurs a penalty. Consequently, the task is addressed only partially, warranting a band score of 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text is structured into short paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'However', and 'Conversely'. However, logical progression is disrupted because the response ends abruptly in the middle of a sentence. Referencing is occasionally confusing, such as 'The district namely - Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island' grouping four separate districts as 'district' in the singular. Paragraphing is present, but overall cohesion is faulty due to the incomplete nature of the text, placing it at a band 5.5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'drastically', 'deviation', and 'conversely'. However, there are multiple spelling errors ('popultion', 'Mahatlan', 'whivh') and awkward word choices ('The figures raised' instead of 'rose', 'Mahatlan showe opposite trend'). There is also a major factual/lexical slip where the percentage of Manhattan's population is referred to as '76% of the world population' rather than the total population of New York City. The vocabulary is adequate for basic communication but contains noticeable errors, fitting a band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses with 'although' or 'while' implied. However, grammatical accuracy is weak. There are issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition use ('in the New York City'), missing articles, and typos ('showe opposite trend'). Furthermore, because the essay cuts off mid-sentence at the end ('Conversely, this figure dropped slightly'), grammatical completion is compromised. Due to frequent errors and incomplete structures, a band 5.0 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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