Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-13

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 resresents the information regarding the changes in New york population and the changes in five districts in five year 1800 to 2000.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that in Newyork increased significantly duriy two centuries Most of this growth happened 1800 and 1900. after that it remained suitable. Amang other five districts Brooklyon and Manhattan had highest population in early period.

Firstly, in 1800 the total population of the city was quite low Brooklyn was fast growiy. by 1900 Howciun the Bronx and queens had very little population in 1800.

On the other hand, between 1900 and 2000 the populat in Manhattan and Brooklyn slightly decreased while Queens and staten island continued to grow. Stalen island had the smallest number of people it it steady rise oue the year. In New york city slow hey population growth betwe 1800 an 1900, especially in Brooklyn an Monhan the population became more spread out amoung all five of 5 year by the yean 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarise the data, but it fails to accurately report the key features. The overview is vague, using terms like 'remained suitable' which does not describe the data trends. There are significant inaccuracies in reporting the figures; for instance, stating that Manhattan and Brooklyn 'slightly decreased' between 1900 and 2000 contradicts the provided data, which shows substantial growth in these districts. The response lacks a clear focus on the most significant trends, and the lack of precision in data reporting makes it difficult for the reader to understand the actual changes in the population over the two centuries.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'Howciun' (presumably 'however') and 'Amang'. The referencing is frequently unclear, and the transition between the general population trends and the specific district data is disjointed. The paragraphing is present but does not effectively group related ideas, leading to a fragmented reading experience. The lack of clear logical flow between sentences makes it difficult to follow the writer's intended comparisons.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and contains numerous spelling errors that occasionally impede communication, such as 'resresents' for 'represents', 'duriy' for 'during', 'Brooklyon' for 'Brooklyn', and 'Monhan' for 'Manhattan'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the information with precision. The writer relies on basic, repetitive phrasing and struggles to use appropriate terminology for describing statistical trends, such as 'remained suitable' instead of 'stabilised' or 'plateaued'. More effort is needed to use a wider range of academic vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement, sentence structure, and punctuation. Many sentences are fragmented or lack necessary articles, such as 'in five year 1800 to 2000' and 'Stalen island had the smallest number of people it it steady rise'. The range of structures is limited, and the errors are persistent throughout the text. While the meaning is sometimes discernable, the high frequency of errors makes the writing difficult to read and indicates a lack of control over basic grammatical rules.

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