Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-17
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)
I saw in the report that the new york city has the population of year 1800 is 79,216 that is lowest of the population in that city,
the highest population is 8,009,185 in year 2000.
The manhattan district of new your city has 76 % of total population of year 1800 and in year 1900 the population is 1,850,093 and total population 54% and the highly increased population is in year 2000 which is 1,538,096 with 19% total population.
Other districts like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island has total population is 24% and 18,701 in 1800 which is lowest and the highest population is in year 2000 found 6,471,089 and the total population is 81%.
Overall all the cities total population is 8,009,185 and that is highest population of new york city in additionaly year 1900 has 3,437,202 population in new york city apart of that manhattan has 54% total population in year 1900 and other district has 46% population in year 1900.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| 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 overview or highlight the most significant trends. While some figures are included, the selection of data is somewhat haphazard. For instance, the report mentions specific percentages for Manhattan and other districts but does not effectively compare the growth trajectories across the two centuries. The information is presented as a list of statistics rather than an analytical summary. To improve, you should identify the overarching trend—such as the massive total population growth and the shift in population distribution from Manhattan to the other four districts—and support these points with key data points rather than listing every figure.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, which is a positive start. However, the logical progression of ideas is weak. The use of cohesive devices is limited and often repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'and' to connect clauses. Some sentences are disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the districts. For example, the transition between the discussion of Manhattan and the other districts is abrupt. Using a wider range of linking words like 'conversely', 'in contrast', or 'meanwhile' would help improve the flow and demonstrate a clearer relationship between the different data sets.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, relying heavily on words like 'population', 'total', and 'highest'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'highly increased population' instead of 'significant growth' or 'sharp increase'. The phrasing 'apart of that' is incorrect; 'apart from that' or 'furthermore' would be more appropriate. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'accounted for', 'witnessed a surge', or 'proportion', and avoid repeating the same nouns and adjectives throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Other districts... has total population') and article usage (e.g., 'the new york city', 'the manhattan district'). Sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences that lack proper conjunctions or full stops. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree, and practicing the correct use of articles and prepositions in a formal context.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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