Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-06
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 display changes in the total population of the New York city as well as the five districts of the New York city between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, The poplutaion grew sharply in the New York city including all five districts, Although the figure fluctuated dramatically in Manhattan, in other districts, it increased significantly from 1800 to 2000.
First table provides information on the population changeof New York city including all five districts which are Manhattan,Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten island. The number of people increases rapidly over the timeframe in which highest population accounts to 8,009,185 in the year 2000. Second table gives the data of population change in Manhattan. In the year 1800, it accounts just above three quarters with a population of 60,515.
Third table provides isights into the population change across the other four districts. In the year 1800, the share of people accounts to just below a quarter with the population of 18,701. Meanwhile, the value and proportion rose significantly in the year 1900 and the percentage of people in the year 2000 was 81 % with the population of 6,471,089.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features of the overall population growth and the data for Manhattan versus the other districts. An overview is successfully presented in the second paragraph, highlighting the sharp increase overall and the contrast between Manhattan's fluctuations and the steady rise in other districts. However, some parts of the task are developed more fully than others; for instance, the description of the tables tends to list figures rather than fully integrating comparisons across the entire 200-year span. Data points are generally accurate, such as noting the peak population of 8,009,185 in the year 2000, fulfilling the core requirements of this level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the answer into an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs for each table. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical, and referencing between ideas lacks seamless flow. For example, expressions like 'First table provides information' and 'Second table gives the data' feel repetitive and abrupt. Paragraphing is used, but the logical progression from general trends to specific district data could be smoother and better linked to elevate the overall cohesion of the response.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
An adequate range of vocabulary is deployed for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'fluctuated dramatically', 'proportion', and 'insights'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors that slightly detract from precision, such as the misspelling 'poplutaion' and awkward phrasing like 'highest population accounts to'. Collocation and word choice are generally sufficient to communicate the main points, but occasional inaccuracies prevent the vocabulary from reaching a higher level of control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating clauses introduced by 'which' and 'while'. There are, however, several recurring errors in grammar and punctuation, including missing articles ('in the New York city', 'changeof New York city'), incorrect prepositions ('accounts to' instead of 'accounts for'), and run-on structures or comma splices in sentences like 'The number of people increases rapidly over the timeframe in which highest population accounts to 8,009,185 in the year 2000.' These errors persist throughout the text, though they rarely impede overall communication.
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