Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-01
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 table illustrates the changes in total poplation of New York City from 1800 to 2000. Other two tables compared the population of the five districts of the city Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island ove the same period.
Overall, in comapred to first years it shows the population were rose. While, Manhattan has lowest population other district has highest percentage.
In manhattan at first 1800 the population was 76% but moving to 2000 it feel in 19%. However, at the middle the year the population was 54%. Moreover, in other districts the population was rising nicely at last of the 2000 the population was 81%.
Additionally, in total the population of new york was increasing at first in 1800 it has only 79216 population while moving to 2000 the population was reach [redacted phone].
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the task partially, attempting to present an overview and select some main features from the tables. However, the word count falls short of the minimum requirement, which restricts the depth of the response. The overview provided in the second paragraph is somewhat unclear and contains inaccuracies regarding the data. While total population trends are mentioned, the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts lacks precision and clarity. To achieve a higher band, the response must meet the minimum word count, present a clearer and more accurate overview, and provide a more fully developed selection of key comparisons between the districts over the given time period.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays some basic organization with a clear attempt at paragraphing, but there is no clear overall progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes inaccurately, such as the abrupt transitions in the third paragraph ('In manhattan at first 1800...'). Referencing between sentences is occasionally unclear, making the flow somewhat disjointed. To move to a higher band, you need to ensure that information and ideas are logically sequenced throughout, using a wider range of cohesive devices more naturally, and organizing paragraphs so that they guide the reader smoothly from the introduction through the main body to a well-structured conclusion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic information from the tables. There are noticeable spelling and word choice errors throughout the text, such as 'poplation', 'comapred', and 'feel' instead of 'fell', which cause some difficulty for the reader. The range of vocabulary is quite basic, relying heavily on repeating words directly from the prompt rather than using synonyms or paraphrasing. To improve lexical resource, you should focus on expanding your vocabulary range, using less common items with greater precision, and checking your spelling carefully to ensure clear communication without distracting errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing shows a limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences. Attempts at more complex sentences are often faulty, as seen in awkward constructions like 'While, Manhattan has lowest population other district has highest percentage.' Frequent errors in articles, verb tenses, prepositions, and punctuation persist throughout the text and can cause difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a wider mix of complex sentence forms with good control, and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical errors by reviewing sentence boundaries and subject-verb agreement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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