Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-05
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 first table illustrates the total population of of New York City between 1800 to 2000 while second and third tables provide the information of the city districts.
Overall, the population of New York increased throughout the period of time.The percentage of total population of Manhattan district was higher in the starting as compared to end while other districts had increased their population over a period of time.
if we look at the Manhattan table it showed in 1800 population was 76% while in 2000 it to dropped to 19%.Therefore there was significantly decreased in population.
The other districts had very low percentage in 1800.It was 24% then they saw increased in their population in 1900 and it was 46%.At the end population reached at their peak of 81% that was the highest if we compare to Manhattan city.
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 identify the broad trends: New York City’s population grew, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts’ share rose. However, the report is only partially developed. It gives percentages but omits the total population figures and the actual district populations, including the important fact that Manhattan’s population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 by 2000. The statement that the other districts had a “very low percentage” in 1800 is supported, but the comparison with Manhattan is not consistently precise. The response also falls 11 words short of the required minimum. To strengthen the summary, include the key figures and describe the contrasting changes in both population and share.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs about Manhattan and the other districts. This gives the reader a general route through the information. However, progression is limited: the body paragraphs mostly repeat percentage changes and do not bring the main comparisons together. Linking phrases such as “Overall,” “if we look at” and “At the end” are used, but some are informal or do not clearly connect the data. The overview also repeats points that are then restated in the body. Organise the details in a clearer sequence—such as comparing 1800, 1900 and 2000—and use concise references to connect the figures without repetition.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “district” and “increased,” so the main topic is understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the report awkward: “provide the information of the city districts,” “saw increased in their population” and “population reached at their peak” are examples. “Manhattan city” is also an imprecise label for the district. Use more precise reporting language, such as “accounted for,” “share,” “rose” and “declined,” and avoid repeating “population” where “proportion” or “figure” is more accurate. These improvements would make the comparisons clearer and more natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts a few longer sentence forms, including a contrast introduced by “while,” but control is inconsistent and the range remains limited. Errors occur in basic sentence construction and verb forms: “between 1800 to 2000” uses an incorrect preposition pattern, “in 2000 it to dropped” has a faulty verb sequence, and “there was significantly decreased” does not form a correct clause. There are also missing or misplaced articles and punctuation, as in “while second and third tables” and the run-on spacing after “period.” These errors sometimes make the intended meaning harder to follow. Practise accurate simple comparisons first, then add subordinate clauses while checking tense, agreement and sentence boundaries.
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.