Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-02

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 population of the New York City including the main five districts Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island over the last two centuries.

In the first table, it shows the combine population of all five districts of New York City with highest of approximately 8 million in 2000. We can also see the lowest in 1800 which is 79 thousand 2 hundred and 16.

In the table 2, we can see the population of Manhattan district is given separately from other districts. In 1800, 76% of the New York City's population lived in Manhattan and 24% lived in other districts. In 1900, 54% of the population lived in Manhattan with the population of approximately 1.8 million. While significantly increasing in other districts, 46% of the population moved to the other districts of the New York City. At last, in 2000, only 19% of the population remains in Manhattan district with the population of [redacted phone] and 81% population lived in other districts having population of approximately 6.4 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the main parts of the task by reporting the overall population trends and making comparisons between Manhattan and the other districts across the three selected years. However, some parts are only partially covered or lack full development. For example, the student mentions that '76% of the New York City's population lived in Manhattan and 24% lived in other districts' for 1800, but fails to highlight the significant absolute growth figures or explicitly contrast the shifting demographic weight effectively throughout. The overview is somewhat basic and mechanically structured, missing a more synthesised summary of the overarching trend from Manhattan-centric to peripheral dominance. To reach a higher level, the response should extend the reporting of key trends with deeper analysis and a clearer, more holistic overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from 1800 to 2000, moving from the aggregate table to the district comparisons. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction and the individual tables, though the second body paragraph groups too many distinct observations together. Cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'In the first table', 'In the table 2', and 'At last'. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. To improve, you should vary your cohesive devices and ensure that each paragraph builds a unified, well-connected argument without relying on formulaic transition phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying basic numbers, percentages, and demographic shifts. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'significantly increasing' and 'demographic' concepts, but this is accompanied by lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'the combine population' instead of 'combined population'. There are also minor awkward collocations and phrasing choices like 'population remains in Manhattan district with the population of 1538096'. Spelling is generally acceptable, but word-choice errors occasionally surface. To achieve a higher score, incorporate a wider range of precise, flexible vocabulary and collocation without repeating basic verbs like 'lived' and 'show'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, such as 'While significantly increasing in other districts, 46% of the population moved...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors in articles, prepositions, and verb forms that can cause some difficulty for the reader. For instance, the student writes 'the New York City including the main five districts' (unnecessary article 'the'), 'in the table 2' (incorrect article usage), and '79 thousand 2 hundred and 16' (written out numbers in an academic context where figures are preferred). Complex structures are often faulty, and prepositional patterns inside clauses need tighter control. To improve, focus on eliminating basic structural slips and refining article and number usage.

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