Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-12
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 Rendered hybrid chart illustrates the the information about total population of New York city and changes in population in five districts of New York city
Overall, it is noticeable that the population in year 2000 was maximum and it was minimum in year1800
Turning to the details, the population in year 2000 was highest 8,009,185 followed in year 1900 3,437,202. The count for year 1900 was 3,437,202. The count for population in 1900 was more than that of year 1800 which was constituted for 79,216. The population of other districts in 1900 was almost double of population of 1800 which was constituted for 24%.
Moving further, the collective change in population of Manhattan in year 1800 and 2000 was 95% whereas ,latter was constituted for 19% . The difference in the population change in other districts in 1800 and 1900 was of 22%. The percentile for population change in other districts in year 1900 and 2000 was 46% and 81%, 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 fails to clearly present the main trends. The description of the data is often confusing, particularly when discussing percentages and the 'other districts' category, which is not clearly defined in the prompt. While the total population figures are mentioned, the comparison between the five districts is underdeveloped and lacks clarity. The response struggles to select and report the most significant features, leading to a disjointed summary that does not fully address the requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is frequently interrupted by unclear phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Turning to the details' and 'Moving further', but they are often followed by information that is difficult to follow. The referencing is sometimes ambiguous, making it hard for the reader to track which data points are being compared. The overall progression is mechanical rather than logical.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'was constituted for' are used incorrectly throughout the text, which hinders clarity. There is little evidence of a range of vocabulary suitable for describing statistical data. The student relies on basic descriptors and struggles to use precise terminology to explain the changes in population over time. To improve, the student should focus on learning collocations related to trends and data reporting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with articles ('the the information'), subject-verb agreement, and awkward sentence construction. While there is an attempt to use complex structures, these are often faulty and lead to confusion. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement. The frequency of these errors is high enough to cause some difficulty for the reader, although the general meaning remains partially accessible.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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