Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19
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 table illustrates the total number of population of new york city and the fluctuation in the population of 5 different district.
overall,manhattan is the highest population district which covers almost one of quarter of total population while combining all four district it covers almost three part of one quarter of total population.
In 1800,by combining all five district of Newyork City the total population is 78,216 which surge rapidly to 3,427,202 in 1900 and 8,009,185 in 2000.In 1800,manhattan total population is 60,515 (76%) which has considerable rise in 1900 which is 1,850,093 (54%) of total population which increases upto 1,538,096 in 2000.
By combining all four district of Newyork city.In 1800 The total population is 18,710 which is 24% and it has risen upto 1,587,109 which is 46% in 1900 and it has noticable surge to 6,471,089 which is 81% in 2000.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You report the broad rise in New York City’s population and the changing shares of Manhattan and the other districts, including relevant figures for all three years. However, the overview is unclear and contains a major misstatement: Manhattan was not the largest share in 2000, and the other districts together accounted for 81%, not “almost three part of one quarter.” Some figures are also inaccurate: the city total in 1800 was 79,216, not 78,216, and the combined population of the other districts was 18,701, not 18,710. The description of Manhattan’s population as increasing to 1,538,096 is incorrect; it fell from its 1900 peak. The response is also 7 words below the required minimum. Add a clear overview and accurately describe the contrasting trends.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an overview to the city total, Manhattan, and the other districts. This gives the reader a general route through the information. However, progression is weakened by unclear or repetitive linking, such as the repeated opening “In 1800” and the fragment-like transition “By combining all four district of Newyork city.” The overview’s comparison is difficult to follow, and the final paragraph repeats information without clearly connecting it to the earlier contrast. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs and link the figures to the main trend—for example, contrast Manhattan’s declining share with the other districts’ growing share. More precise referencing would also make the comparisons easier to track.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “total population,” “considerable rise,” and “surge,” and the main subject remains understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the report awkward. “The total number of population” would be more naturally expressed as “the total population,” while “fluctuation” does not accurately describe the overall growth shown. “Almost one of quarter” and “three part of one quarter” are difficult to interpret, and “noticable” is misspelled. Repeating “population” and “rise/surge” also limits precision. Build a small set of accurate trend phrases, such as “accounted for,” “rose sharply,” and “declined in absolute terms,” and check spelling before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the reader can usually identify the figures being compared. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors in sentence construction, agreement, articles, and punctuation sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “the total number of population of new york city” has an awkward noun structure, while “by combining all five district … the total population is” has problems with plural agreement and tense. The sentence about Manhattan’s population “which increases upto” also uses an unclear relative clause and an unsuitable tense for past data. Capitalisation and spacing after full stops are frequently missing. Practise writing complete past-tense sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use punctuation to separate each comparison.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.