Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-27
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 below illustrate changes in the total population of New York City, Also five different districts of the city from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, The population of New York City and other districts increased over the time period, expect one district which followed downward trend.
In 1800 the population of New York City was on 79,216 then it increased very sharply and it was on 8,009,185 in 2000, Which was the highest population.
In 1800 the population of Manhattan district was 76% of total ratio, But it declined steadily in next two years and it was 19% of total numbers in 2000.
Other districts followed the upward trend and their population in 1800 was the 24% of total percentage, Furthermore it climbed up to 46% in 1900, And jumped to 81% in the final year.
In general, Total population in New York City and in four districts of the city increased very sharply, But in Manhattan district population decreased over the time period.
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 response covers all parts of the task well, providing an overview and selecting key data from the tables, such as the overall population growth and the shifting percentages of Manhattan versus the other districts. The student correctly notes that the total population rose significantly from 79,216 in 1800 to over 8 million in 2000, and accurately points out the inverse trend for Manhattan, which dropped from 76% to 19% of the total population. However, there are some minor inaccuracies or awkward phrasings regarding percentages and ratios (e.g., referring to 76% as a 'total ratio' rather than a percentage of the total). Overall, the main features and comparisons are adequately addressed, earning a solid Band 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized with a clear overall progression, moving from an introductory statement to an overview, followed by specific details about the total population, Manhattan, and the other districts, and finishing with a concluding summary. Paragraphing is attempted, though the text is somewhat fragmented into short, single-sentence paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Overall', 'In 1800', 'Furthermore', 'In general'), but some referencing and punctuation choices are mechanical or slightly faulty, such as unnecessary comma splices and capitalization errors (e.g., 'Also five different districts', 'Overall, The population'). Progression is generally clear, but the cohesion could be smoother and more sophisticated, aligning with a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items and descriptive phrases such as 'increased very sharply', 'downward trend', 'declined steadily', and 'jumped to'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'total ratio' instead of 'percentage of the total population', 'in next two years' instead of 'over the subsequent centuries', and spelling or word choice issues like 'expect one district' instead of 'except'. While communication is clear, these limitations and frequent minor errors restrict the score to a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses (e.g., 'Which was the highest population') and time conjunctions. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent punctuation errors, such as comma splices ('in 1800 the population of New York City was on 79,216 then it increased...'), missing articles, and incorrect capitalization after commas. Preposition errors are also present, such as 'was on 79,216' instead of 'stood at'. Because errors in grammar and punctuation occur frequently throughout the response—though they rarely impede overall communication—this performance fits the Band 5.5 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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