Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-11
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 tables illustrate the total and district wiz changing in population of New York city between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, large figure of people recorded in 2000 as compared to other two centuries. In districts Manhattan consider a big district in first two decades in population ratio while, other districts Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island had large number of people in last decade of period.
To begin, in 1800 total 79,216 residents were living in New York and Manhattan was most famous place for accommodation 76 percent people lived there and other districts had only remaining 24 percent. In 1900 the city population rose up and reached 3437,202 in this century Manhattan still favourite placed for people 54 percent people take shelter while, other all districts gathering were 46 percent. In last century total population figure became double as compare to previous decade 8,009,185 residents counted in New York city in which 6,471,089 took accommodations in other districts and Manhattan population hit a low as compare to other centuries 1,538,096 residents shelter in 2000.
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 covers the main trends in the data, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis is hampered by significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the figure for 1900 is written as '3437,202' (likely a typo for 3,437,202), and the description of the 2000 population as 'double' the previous century is mathematically incorrect based on the provided figures (8,009,185 vs 3,437,202). Furthermore, the claim that Manhattan's population 'hit a low' in 2000 is not supported by the data, which shows an increase from 1800. The summary is present but lacks the precision required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. While there is a logical attempt to sequence the information chronologically, the progression is sometimes disjointed. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin' and 'In last century', but they are often used mechanically or incorrectly (e.g., 'In last century' should be 'In the last century'). The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the body paragraph is somewhat cluttered.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choices and non-standard collocations, such as 'district wiz changing', 'most famous place for accommodation', and 'people take shelter'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the message. The student relies on basic descriptive language and struggles to use precise terminology to describe statistical trends (e.g., 'large figure of people' instead of 'a significant increase in population'). Spelling errors, such as 'favourite placed', further detract from the overall quality.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but these are frequently marred by grammatical errors. There are consistent issues with article usage ('in New York city', 'in last century'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence construction. For example, 'Manhattan consider a big district' is grammatically incorrect. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors is high enough to cause some difficulty for the reader and prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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