Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-22
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 provides data on the population of New York City from 1800 to 1900 and 2000. The other two tables illustrate the population in Manhattan and all the other four districts.
Overall, the population was lower in 1800 but showed a dramatic increase in 2000. Meanwhile, people in Manhattan and other districts showed about changes from 1800 to 2000.
In the year 1800 the population overall in New York City was about 79,216. Moreover, in Manhattan there was a population of 76% in numbers 60,515. the other four districts had only 24% population .
However, there was a slight increase in residents in New York City in 1900 which was 3,437,202 and other four districts also grew to 24%. But, Manhattan fell to 54% it includes 1,850,096 people.
The population in New York City surged to 8,009,185 and the changes in other districts ( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) doubled to almost 81% in 2000. Only Manhattan plummeted to 19% of the population 1,538,096
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the population changes in New York City and its five districts from 1800 to 2000. Key data points are provided, such as the total population growth from 79,216 to over 8 million, and the stark shift in population distribution from Manhattan holding 76% in 1800 down to 19% in 2000, while the other districts rose to 81%. However, there is a minor numerical slip in paragraph 4 ('1,850,096' instead of the table's 1,850,093), and the overview could be slightly more polished. Nevertheless, the selection of data is relevant and comparisons are successfully drawn.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into four paragraphs, following a logical structure from an introductory overview to specific body paragraphs detailing the data. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Overall', 'In the year 1800', 'However', and 'The population in New York City surged to'. However, paragraphing is slightly choppy, and some transitional links are mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, but the progression within sentences occasionally feels disjointed, as seen in 'people in Manhattan and other districts showed about changes'. Overall arrangement is coherent enough to follow without difficulty.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully using terms such as 'dramatic increase', 'slight increase', 'surged', and 'plummeted'. There are some awkward phrasings and word choices, such as 'showed about changes' and 'in numbers 60,515', which detract from precision. Spelling is generally accurate, but the lexical control fluctuates between natural reporting verbs and awkward collocations. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main trends, placing it firmly at band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory time phrases effectively. There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips throughout the text, such as missing punctuation after introductory clauses, awkward prepositional usage ('population of 76% in numbers'), and a few run-on or incorrectly structured clauses. For example, 'it includes 1,850,096 people' lacks a proper connective. Despite these errors, communication is rarely impeded, and the grammatical control is adequate for a mid-level band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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