Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-03

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 graphs display the change in total population of New York from 1800 to 2000. One of these graph shows the population of whole city, other one exhibits the proportion of population of one district while the last one displays the population of four districts.

Overall, it was seemed that the total population was 79,216 in 1800 from which a one district covered around 76% of population which was equal to 60,515 and the remaining one lived in other four districts around 24%. Furthermore, it was observed that the population rose to 3,437,202 in 1900 in New York from which around 1,850,093 lived in Manhattan and 1,587,109 lived in other districts with the proportion of 54% and 46% significantly.

At last, in 2000 population went to 8,009,185 with the proportion of 81% in other districts(Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) which was comparatively higher than in Manhattan was 19% respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task partially by presenting some main features and data from the tables, such as the overall population figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000, along with the Manhattan and other districts breakdown. However, the data is not always presented with sufficient clarity, and some comparisons are underdeveloped or mechanically expressed, such as the phrasing "with the proportion of 54% and 46% significantly." While the key trends of population growth and the shift in proportions from Manhattan to the other districts are touched upon, the lack of well-developed supporting points and occasional awkward expression mean the response remains at a partial level of task fulfilment.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation evident in the structure, beginning with an introduction, moving to a body paragraph covering the first two time periods, and concluding with the year 2000. However, the overall progression lacks a smooth logical flow, and cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or inaccurate, as seen in transitions like "At last" and "from which a one district covered." Paragraphing is also somewhat limited, with the main body lumped into dense blocks rather than effectively grouped by logical themes or distinct timeframes. Referencing and linking between ideas can feel slightly repetitive and disjointed, hindering the clarity of the overall argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less common terms and data-related vocabulary such as "proportion," "districts," and "total population," but these are often accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and phrasing, such as "One of these graph shows" and "the remaining one lived in other four districts." Spelling is generally acceptable, but imprecise lexical choices and awkward collocations cause some occasional difficulty for the reader and prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer employs a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on basic patterns with frequent attempts at relative clauses and complex forms that often turn out faulty. There are persistent errors in grammar throughout the text, including article omissions and misuse, incorrect prepositions, and awkward subject-verb agreement or clause structures, such as "it was seemed that," "a one district covered," and "than in Manhattan was 19% respectively." These frequent errors in basic and complex structures cause noticeable difficulty for the reader, though the core meaning can still be deciphered.

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