Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-04

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 table provides the information of population of New York city as well as the other one shows the changing in there population of Manhattan and other districts.

Overall the population was increasing from 1800 to 20 century and there contribution in total population with other districts.

Although it population had increased by its 50 times more in 19 century (3.4 million). Moreover it did not stop there and increased 3 time more in 20 century(8 million). In addition to the contribution of Manhattan in 1800 just 76%and reduced to just 19 by the end of 20 century but there population were increased surprisingly.

On the other hand the the other Districts contribution had increased form 24 % to 81% with the population of 18701 in 1800 but in the end of of 20 century they had 64 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement. While you have attempted to identify main trends, the data interpretation is inaccurate. For example, you state the population reached 64 million, which is not supported by the provided tables. Furthermore, the summary lacks a clear overview of the data, and the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts is confusingly presented. To improve, ensure you accurately transcribe figures from the tables and provide a more structured summary that highlights the key changes over the two-century period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a logical structure. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the ideas within the paragraphs are not well-connected. The use of cohesive devices is limited and often mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'Moreover' and 'In addition'. The progression of ideas is difficult to follow because the sentences do not flow logically from one to the next. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that contributes to the overall summary of the data.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, which hinders the clarity of your report. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'changing in there population' and 'increased by its 50 times more'. You rely on basic vocabulary and struggle to use precise terminology to describe statistical trends. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more varied and accurate vocabulary to describe data, such as 'fluctuated', 'experienced a significant rise', or 'accounted for'. Additionally, ensure you proofread for basic word-choice errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('there population were increased'), article usage, and sentence structure. The complexity of the sentences is low, and the errors occasionally make the meaning unclear. For instance, 'the the other Districts' contains a repetition error, and the sentence structure in the final paragraph is disjointed. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that articles are used correctly before nouns.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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