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 first table illustrates the changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000 while the second table shows the changes in the population of the five districts of the New York city.
Overall, by 1800 , the poulation in New york city had increased significantly till 2000. In 1800, the population in Manhattan was at it's lowest but the poulation was peaked in 1900.
In New Youk city, including all the five districts the population had increased significantly from 79,216 in year 1800 to 8,009,185 in year 2000. Around 76% of the total poulation of New york city was concentrated in Manhattan by 1800. This figure had fallen to 19% in 2000. In other districts like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island had the highest population in New York city by 2000 which stood at 6,471,089.
In other four districts, the poulation had substantially declined to 18,701 by 1800 which was the least popular among other districts. 56% of the New york polpuation were living in Manhattan in 1900. In other Four districts, by 1800, around 18,700 of population were accounted for 24% of the New York population.
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 provide a clear or accurate overview. There are significant issues with data interpretation; for instance, stating the population 'peaked in 1900' contradicts the provided data showing continuous growth to 2000. Furthermore, the description of the districts is confusing and contains contradictory figures. While the response covers the main topic, the lack of accuracy in reporting the figures and the failure to clearly distinguish between the total population and the specific district trends prevent it from meeting the requirements for a higher band. The information is not well-selected, and the main features are obscured by inaccurate reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is often illogical. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inappropriate, such as the repetitive use of 'In other districts' and 'In other four districts' without clear reference to which data is being discussed. The transition between the total population and the district-specific data is abrupt, and the internal logic of the paragraphs is weak, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison of the five districts over time.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are frequent spelling errors, such as 'poulation' (repeatedly), 'New Youk', and 'polpuation'. The word choice is often imprecise, such as using 'least popular' to describe population size, which is a misuse of the term. The vocabulary is generally basic and lacks the precision required to describe statistical trends effectively. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the high frequency of spelling and collocation errors limits the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include 'the population was peaked in 1900' (passive voice error), 'In other districts like Brooklyn... had the highest population' (subject-verb agreement/sentence structure error), and 'around 18,700 of population were accounted for' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. These errors are frequent and occasionally distract the reader, though they do not completely impede communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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