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 given tables illustrate the total number of population in New York City and five other districts of America from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, the tables show that the number of people in New York City and four districts increases over time, except Manhattan Island, whose population decreases over the following three years.
In 1800, the total population of New York City was 72,216, which increased tremendously to [redacted phone] people in 2000. In contrast, the number of commodities in the Manhattan district decreased from 76% to 19% throughout the time.
On the other hand, the population of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island was 24% and rose to 54% in 1900. By 2000, there was a significant increased in the number of people, and the percentage rose to 81%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response achieves a partial coverage of the task. Crucially, the length requirement is not met, as the student's response contains only 129 words, falling short of the 150-word minimum. While the writer attempts to present an overview and select some main features, the details provided contain significant inaccuracies and misreadings of the data. For instance, the student states the 1800 population was 72,216 instead of 79,216, and confuses population figures with percentages when mentioning 'the number of commodities in the Manhattan district decreased from 76% to 19%'. Ideas are underdeveloped and lack a comprehensive summary of the visual data. To reach a higher band, the student must meet the word count, carefully read the provided data without factual errors, and report the figures and percentages accurately.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates some organization with a basic overall structure, including an introductory sentence and an overview. However, there is no clear logical progression throughout the body paragraphs, and cohesive devices are used inadequately or inaccurately. For example, transition phrases such as 'In contrast' and 'On the other hand' are forced and do not accurately reflect the contrast between the data sets. Paragraphing is attempted, but individual paragraphs lack internal cohesion and fail to clearly group related data. To improve in this area, the student should ensure that ideas flow logically from one sentence to the next and employ a wider, more accurate range of cohesive devices to link information smoothly.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The lexical resource used is limited and barely adequate for the task. The vocabulary is generally basic and repetitive, with notable word choice errors that impede communication. For instance, the student mistakenly refers to population percentages as 'the number of commodities' in Manhattan, which shows confusion over basic terms. Other errors include phrasing like 'increase over time' combined with inaccurate data reporting. Spelling is generally acceptable, but precise collocation and topic-specific vocabulary are lacking. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to incorporate a wider range of appropriate vocabulary related to data trends and statistical changes without misusing economic or general terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer uses a very limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with occasional, faulty attempts at complex forms. Frequent errors are present, particularly with verb tenses, prepositions, and noun-phrase modification. Examples include 'the total number of population' (instead of total population) and 'there was a significant increased' (instead of increase). These errors require the reader to occasionally pause or guess the intended meaning. To improve, the student should practice forming complex structures accurately, pay closer attention to grammatical agreement, and ensure correct word forms are used in descriptive contexts.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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