Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-15
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 first table illustrates the data of total population in new york city and other two tables shows the data of changes in population among the five different cities in the same time period.
Overall, it can be seen that the new york city has major increase in population from the year 1800 to 2000. The other five districts cities reported that the manhattan city has major increase of population and in other four cities the higher percentage of total population is 81%.
At first table, it can be seen that in the year 1800 the population is accounted 79,216 among New York cities all five districts. The highest numbers are reported in year 2000 is around 8 million.
On the other side, the manhattan city has reported 76% of total population in the year 1800. The population numbers become slightly higher in the year 1900 and surpasses it in the year 2000.
Furthermore, the other four districts majorly reported 18 thousand population in the year 1800. The increasing number in the population was shown in year 2000, which is accounted around 81%.
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 features of the data, but the analysis is somewhat superficial and contains inaccuracies. For instance, you mention that Manhattan had 76% of the population in 1800, but the table shows this figure is for 1900. Additionally, the description of the 'other four districts' is confusing; you state they had 18 thousand people in 1800, but the table indicates a different distribution. The summary lacks a clear comparison between the districts over time, and the data interpretation is inconsistent. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference the years and categories provided in the tables to avoid factual errors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. Phrases like 'On the other side' and 'At first table' are used incorrectly or sound unnatural. The progression of ideas is occasionally disjointed, particularly when moving between the total population and the district-specific data. While there is a basic logical flow, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the repetitive sentence structures hinder the overall coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic terms like 'major increase', 'reported', and 'numbers'. There are also issues with word choice, such as referring to the districts as 'districts cities', which is redundant. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs (e.g., 'witnessed', 'experienced', 'fluctuated') and more precise nouns to describe the data trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are some attempts at complex sentences, they often contain grammatical errors, such as 'the other two tables shows' (subject-verb agreement) and 'the population is accounted 79,216' (incorrect passive voice construction). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are frequent errors in articles and prepositions throughout the text. The grammatical control is inconsistent, and the errors occasionally make the meaning slightly difficult to follow. Increasing the variety of sentence types and focusing on basic subject-verb agreement would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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