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 tables illustrates the number of residents in new york city and more exactly in manhatan , boorklyn , bronx , staten island and queens , from 1800 to 2000.
Overall , number of people who lives in new york city increased significantly over the period .
In 1800 manhaten dominated the percentage of population before falling in 2000 and the other 4 non manhaten districts took the highest percentage .
From 1800 to 2000 , the number of citizens in new york city increased resepctivly from 79216 to [redacted phone] citizen in 2020 . However , new york has a lot of districts , comparing the 5 districts , in 1800 manhaten dominated the area by accurating 76% of the citizens of the 5 districts by 60515 , furthurmore in 1900 it decreased the percentage of its dominance but all other combined still amount to less then manhatens percentage . On the other hand , the 4 other districts saw a notable increase from 1800 to 2000 where it peaked to 81% by [redacted phone] citizen which was the highest .
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 partially addresses the task by reporting the overall population changes and some data regarding Manhattan compared to the other districts. However, the development of information is limited and relies on a somewhat mechanical listing of numbers rather than a fully integrated overview of the key trends. While the student attempts to highlight the shift from Manhattan housing the majority of the population in 1800 to the other districts dominating by 2000, key figures contain inaccuracies, such as citing the year 2020 instead of 2000, and minor data misreadings. To reach a higher level, the response needs a more clearly articulated overview and a more precise selection and comparison of data across the entire time frame without relying on repetitive phrasing.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
There is some basic organisation in the response, beginning with an introduction and attempting a concluding comparison. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression, and the text suffers from a lack of proper paragraphing, as it is presented in one dense block of text. Cohesive devices are used in a basic or repetitive manner, such as 'However' and 'On the other hand', but referencing and logical links between sentences are occasionally faulty or unclear. To improve, the writer should structure the response into distinct paragraphs—such as a separate overview and body paragraphs—and ensure smoother transitions between ideas to guide the reader through the data logically.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The lexical resource is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic message. The student attempts some task-relevant vocabulary such as 'population', 'districts', and 'percentage', but there are noticeable spelling errors ('manhatan', 'boorklyn', 'serepctivly', 'furthurmore') and awkward word choices ('accurating'). These errors occasionally cause some difficulty for the reader. The range of vocabulary is restricted and repetitive. To achieve a higher band score, the writer needs to expand their vocabulary range, employ more precise academic synonyms for describing trends, and pay close attention to correct spelling and word formation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response displays a very limited range of structures, relying primarily on simple sentences and basic coordination. While there are a few attempts at complex sentences, these are often faulty, featuring punctuation errors, run-on sentences, and missing articles or capitalization. Frequent grammatical errors are present, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'The given tables illustrates' and 'number of people who lives', as well as prepositional and tense errors. These persistent errors can cause difficulty and strain for the reader. To improve, the writer must work on mastering basic grammatical structures, ensuring correct verb forms, and improving punctuation and sentence boundary control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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