Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-06
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)
Two tables which are provided illustrate the comparison of changes in population of New York City and all other five districts. Overall, it compares the populations of different cities of USA during the same period.
The first table explains that the total population of New York City in 1800 was 79216 but later on in the next century it rocketed up to 40 times of the given amount and became almost 34 lakhs. After a few years this amount had doubled and it became 80 lakh in no time so this population got a great rise during these two centuries and increased almost to 100 percent of it.
At the second end, the population of people in Manhattan increased almost 76 percent in the first ten decades but this percentage reduces to 54 percent in the next century. In 2000,this percentage only remained 19 percent of it while in other districts the percentage of total population remained low and it continued to increase for the remaining period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to accurately report the data provided in the tables. You have misinterpreted the figures, such as claiming the population reached '34 lakhs' (3.4 million) and '80 lakh' (8 million), which do not align with the provided data. Furthermore, the description of the district populations is vague and lacks specific data points, failing to make meaningful comparisons between the five districts. The overview is also inaccurate, as it refers to 'different cities of USA' rather than the specific districts of New York City. To improve, you must focus on extracting and presenting the actual figures from the tables and identifying the key trends, such as the growth patterns of specific boroughs over the two centuries.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the general city population and the district-specific data is abrupt. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Overall', 'In 2000'), they are often used to link inaccurate information. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing percentages, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the intended meaning. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that sentences are linked logically to support the main features of the data.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains inaccuracies. The use of 'lakhs' is inappropriate for an IELTS Academic task, which requires standard international numerical notation (e.g., millions). Phrases like 'rocketed up to 40 times' and 'in no time' are informal and imprecise for a data summary. There is also a lack of variety in reporting verbs and descriptive language. To improve, focus on using precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'increased significantly', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a sharp rise', and ensure you use standard numerical formats.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'Two tables which are provided illustrate' is clunky, and 'this percentage reduces to 54 percent' uses the wrong tense for historical data. There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on consistent tense usage when describing historical data and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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