Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29
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 illustrates variation in the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The second and third table represent the fluctuation in the populations of the five districts of the city which are :Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island over the same timeframe.
From the first table, the lowest population is observed in 1800 (79,216) , while it has increased around 4 times in 1900, having the population of 3,437,202. During 2000, the highest population is founded and it is 8,009,185. From the next table, it is seen that around 76% of the total population (60,515) lived in the Manhattan in the year of 1800. Gradually it declined and reached to 19%, with the population of 1,538,096. The population of the other districts was not much higher compared compared to Manhattan, although a noticeable proportion of population is seen during 2000 (81%). For the year 1800 and 1900, the total population was comparatively lower.
The three tables give information about how the population is changing across the years as well as cities. An increased amount of population is identified for all the districts.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the overall population and the district-level data across 1800, 1900, and 2000. Key data points such as the total population figures (79,216 to 8,009,185) and percentage shifts for Manhattan (76% down to 19%) are accurately cited. However, the attempt to summarize the data is somewhat hindered by minor expression issues, such as stating 'it has increased around 4 times in 1900' when the increase is actually much larger than fourfold (from roughly 79 thousand to over 3.4 million). Despite this miscalculation, the key trends of overall population growth and the shifting distribution from Manhattan to other districts are adequately covered, satisfying the requirements for Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical progression, moving from the general table to the district breakdown, and concluding with a summary statement. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'From the first table,' 'During 2000,' and 'From the next table.' However, paragraphing is somewhat weak, as the text is divided into an introduction, a single large body paragraph containing multiple distinct ideas, and a rather repetitive concluding block. Referencing is occasionally confusing, as seen in phrases like 'For the year 1800 and 1900, the total population was comparatively lower,' which lacks precise comparative context. Overall, it demonstrates sufficient organization for a Band 6 score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing terms like 'variation,' 'fluctuation,' 'gradually,' and 'proportion.' There are, however, some lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations. For example, the student writes 'the highest population is founded' instead of 'found,' and uses 'compared compared' due to a repetition typo. Additionally, some phrasing lacks precision, such as 'The population of the other districts was not much higher compared compared to Manhattan' when the data actually shows other districts eventually housing the vast majority of the population. Vocabulary control is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, aligning with Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'while' and 'although.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation awkwardnesses, such as spacing before commas (e.g., '(79,216) ,') and incorrect preposition use or word forms (e.g., 'lived in the Manhattan' instead of 'lived in Manhattan', and 'how the population is changing across the years as well as cities'). While these errors are noticeable and require some effort to parse at times, they do not impede overall communication. The command of grammar fits comfortably within the Band 6 descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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