Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-03
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 5.0)
The given tables illustrate the data regarding the over-all population of New York City from 1800 to 2000 with the breakdown of the two tables which showed the population changes over the city's five regions ( Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Islands) over similar year.
Overall, New York City population in year showed increasing trends three centuries. It started lesser number residents in 1800 but it sparked during the second and third period. Initially, Manhattan shared the largest portion in the start but experienced a significant fall at the end. In contrast, the other four districts had a notable changes specifically in year 2000 which it reached to it's highest peak.
In 1800, Manhattan covered the 76% (60, 515 ) of the total population compared to the other districts which had the proportion of 24% (18,701).
According to the chart in 1900, Manhattan remain its rank but there was a fluctuation of about 22% to its previous percentage , while the other region slowly rise with similar proportion of Manhattan's decrease.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the data but fails to cover all parts of the task. While it mentions Manhattan and the other districts, it omits specific data for several regions and fails to provide a comprehensive overview of the trends across the entire 200-year period. The analysis is fragmented and lacks a clear comparison between the districts. The data provided is also somewhat inaccurate in its interpretation of the tables. To improve, you must ensure all key features are highlighted and that the data is presented accurately, rather than focusing only on the beginning and end points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical (e.g., 'In contrast', 'According to the chart'). There is a lack of clear referencing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the districts. The structure is somewhat disjointed, and the relationship between the sentences is not always clear, which hinders the overall flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'sparked during the second and third period' and 'it reached to it's highest peak'. The use of 'lesser number residents' is grammatically and lexically incorrect. While the response attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'proportion' and 'fluctuation', the overall range is insufficient to convey the information with precision. More varied and accurate vocabulary is needed to describe trends and statistical changes effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Manhattan remain its rank' (subject-verb agreement), 'it reached to it's highest peak' (incorrect pronoun/possessive usage), and 'over-all population... with the breakdown of the two tables which showed' (clunky sentence structure). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the simple sentences used often contain errors in tense or article usage. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over basic grammar and attempt more complex, error-free sentences.
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