Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-09
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 table delineates information about shifting the population of the New York City over the decade spanning 1800 to 2000. While, other two tables illustrate data across five districts of New York City changing population represents in number and percentage.
Overall, total number of New York City all five districts resident increase over the year. Manhattan inhabitants number declined, meanwhile other four districts was steadily climbed across 1800 to 2000.
firstly, Manhattan region contains 76% of total residents, exactly 60515 inhabitants of New Your City in 1800. This number falls through one century
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 is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which severely impacts the ability to fully address the task. While you have attempted to identify some main features, such as the overall growth of the city and the decline of Manhattan, the response is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence. Because the summary is unfinished, you have failed to report on the majority of the data provided in the tables. To improve, you must ensure you provide a complete overview and support your points with sufficient data from all provided tables, ensuring you meet the minimum word count to allow for full development of your ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response shows an attempt at logical organization with an introduction and an overview. However, the abrupt ending prevents a coherent progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used in a limited and sometimes mechanical way, such as 'firstly' and 'meanwhile'. The paragraphing is also underdeveloped due to the incomplete nature of the text. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph is fully developed before moving to the next point.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'total number of New York City all five districts resident increase' are awkward and lack precision. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'shifting the population' instead of 'population shifts' or 'population changes'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more varied and precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'surged', or 'accounted for', and ensure your collocations are natural.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'other two tables illustrate data... changing population represents in number', which is syntactically incorrect. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'other four districts was steadily climbed'. The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including correct verb tenses and pluralization, and attempt to incorporate more complex sentence structures like relative clauses or passive voice where appropriate for data description.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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