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 chart provides the data on New York City about the total population in three different years from 1800 to 2000. whereas, other tables show changes in the population in different five districts of the city over the same period.
Overall, the total population in the New York City of all five districts has increased throughout the period. While, the population of manhattan has rise but the proportion has declined over the period, also, other districts showed reversed trend.
In 1800, the total population was 79,216 in The New York City which was rapidly increasing in next two years and reached to 8,009,185.
Looking at their further details, the total number of people in manhattan and other districts were 60,515 and 18,702 in 1800 which was 76 and 24 percent respectively. Moreover, in next two years, most people decided to live in manhattan which was increased rapidly as compared to other districts. Tye total population in all five districts were included but the percentage showed reversible trend between manhattan and other four districts which was 76 to 29 percent and 24 to 81 percent respectively.
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 summarise the data, but it fails to accurately interpret the provided tables. The student incorrectly identifies the time intervals as 'next two years' instead of the century-long periods (1800, 1900, 2000). Furthermore, the data points cited (e.g., 8,009,185) are misread or misapplied, and the analysis of the population shifts between Manhattan and the other districts is confusing and mathematically inaccurate based on the provided figures. While the main features are identified, the lack of precision and the misinterpretation of the timeline significantly hinder the task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is weak due to the factual inaccuracies mentioned above. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall,' 'In 1800,' and 'Moreover,' but they are sometimes used mechanically or inappropriately, such as the transition 'whereas, other tables' at the start of the first paragraph. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the shifts in percentages between Manhattan and the other districts, making the argument difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'increased rapidly,' 'showed reversed trend,' and 'decided to live' are basic. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'The New York City' (unnecessary article) and 'reversible trend' (incorrect usage). The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe statistical trends, relying on simple descriptors that do not demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('manhattan has rise'), incorrect verb tenses ('was rapidly increasing'), and awkward sentence structures ('The total population in all five districts were included'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary commas and capitalization errors (e.g., 'manhattan'). While some simple sentences are clear, the attempts at more complex structures often result in grammatical instability.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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