Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-05
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 5.0)
The tables illustrates the overall population of New York City between 1800 to 2000, and the adjustments in the population of the five main town of the city Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island throughout same period.
Overall, New York city saw a rise in population from 1800 t0 2000 significantly, in the same sense, all five city increased across the period, with the Manhattan maintaining the highest populated city. Although the other remaining cities went from low to high on the total number of population.
In New York city, the Year 1800 recorded the lowest change in population with about 79,216 adjustment in average number of people living in New York, this dramatically just rose to about 3,437,202 in 1900 and then recorded it's peak in the year 2000 with population increasing to 8,009,185.
On the rest of the five city, where average population of 60,515 with 76% was recorded in1800 and significantly rose to 1,850,093 in 1900, then recoded its peak in the year 2000 with average number of 6,47
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 fails to adequately address the task. While it attempts to summarize the data, the information provided is incomplete and inaccurate. The final paragraph cuts off abruptly ('6.47'), leaving the data for the year 2000 for the individual boroughs unstated. Furthermore, the description of the data is confusing; the student refers to 'average population' rather than the total population figures provided in the tables. The comparison between the boroughs is underdeveloped, and the failure to complete the final sentence significantly impacts the clarity of the report. To improve, ensure all data points are presented accurately and the report is fully completed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete final sentence. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall' and 'Although', but they are sometimes used incorrectly or in a way that does not logically connect the data points. For instance, the transition between the general city population and the borough-specific data is abrupt. The referencing is also unclear, as the term 'the rest of the five city' is grammatically awkward and confusing. Improving the logical flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used to link related data points would enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as using 'adjustments' to describe population figures and 'town' to refer to the boroughs of New York City. The phrase 'the other remaining cities' is also imprecise, as these are districts within one city, not separate cities. The vocabulary is generally basic and lacks the precision required for an Academic Task 1 report. To achieve a higher band, you should use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'surpassed', or 'accounted for', and ensure accurate terminology when describing geographical areas.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede communication. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The tables illustrates'), incorrect preposition usage ('between 1800 to 2000'), and awkward phrasing ('the Manhattan maintaining the highest populated city'). The sentence structure is often simplistic, and there are errors in punctuation and capitalization. The incomplete final sentence is a major issue, as it leaves the reader without the intended information. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and proofreading to catch errors in tense and word order before finalizing your response.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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