Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28
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 illustrate the changes in the total population of New York city from 1800 to 2000 and the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same time period.
Overall view of the total change in New York city is given in the first table. This table shows the population of all five districts. In 1800, the population rate was 79,216 and in 1900 it increased to 3,437,202 that increased more in 2000 to 8,009,185.
Subsequently, if we look forward to the other two tables; they displays the population rate in percentage too. The second table shows the populaton of Manhattan district of New York city. It was 60,515 and 76% in 1800 that icreased in 1900 to 1,850,093 that is 54%. In 2000, the total population was 1,538,096 which is almost 19%.
On the other hand, the third table shows the proportion of population in other four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island). In 1800, it was 18,701 and 24% which increased to 1,587,109 almost 46%. This increased to 6,471,089 and 81%.
In conclusion, these three tables show the difference of population from 1800 to 2000.
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 by reporting the main features of the total population figures for New York City alongside the breakdown for Manhattan and the other four districts. The data cited matches the source material well, capturing the 1800, 1900, and 2000 figures accurately. An overview is attempted, although it is fragmented across the response rather than being properly consolidated into a clear introduction or concluding paragraph. The candidate successfully highlights key comparisons, such as the dramatic shift in percentage share from Manhattan to the other districts. To reach a higher band, the overview should be more pronounced and cohesive, synthesising the overarching trends rather than merely describing each table sequentially.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text is organized into paragraphs corresponding to the tables provided, giving it a coherent overall arrangement. Logical connectors and transitional phrases such as 'Overall view', 'Subsequently', and 'On the other hand' are used to guide the reader through the data. However, paragraphing is slightly choppy, with some sentences feeling disjointed (for instance, the brief second paragraph acting as an isolated transitional point). Referencing and substitution are generally clear, but the mechanical nature of some transitions prevents the response from achieving a higher band. Overall, the flow is acceptable and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The candidate demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an Academic Task 1 response, correctly employing terms like 'population', 'proportion', 'percentage', and 'districts'. However, there are notable lexical limitations and minor inaccuracies, such as 'displays the population rate in percentage too' and spelling/word-form errors like 'icreased'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are somewhat restricted, and phrasing tends to rely heavily on repetitive patterns found in the prompt. To improve, the writer should incorporate a wider variety of synonyms to describe statistical changes and ensure greater precision in word choice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response incorporates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ('which is almost 19%') and coordinate clauses. There are instances of good grammatical control, but also several noticeable errors and awkward phrasings, including 'that increased more in 2000 to' and 'This increased to 6,471,089 and 81%'. Punctuation is generally functional, but comma splices and run-on structures occasionally appear in longer sentences. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they prevent the text from achieving a higher band descriptor where error-free sentences must form the majority.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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