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)
The first table illustrates the total population of New York City form the year 1800 to 2000. The second and third table show the change is population of the five districts of the New York City over the same period of time. The data is calibrated into nos. and percentage.
In the year 1800, the population of New York City were 79,216 which is the lowest among rest of the year. Afterwards, it got steep increased to 3,437,202 in the year 1900. In the last year(2000), it reaches to 8,009,185 which is the highest population as compare to the rest of the years.
The first district Manhattan, the population is around 60,515 which is 76% of the total population also the lowest population as compare to rest of the other districts which is only 18,701 while the percentage is 24 in the year 1800.
Overall, the highest population were in year last year of the New York City which include various district which are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. While the Lowest population were of other districts except Manhattan.
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 overview of the main trends. While it mentions the total population growth, it fails to synthesize the information regarding the five districts effectively. The analysis is fragmented and lacks a clear comparison between the districts over the 200-year period. Several key data points are misstated or confusingly presented, such as the claim that the population in 1800 was the 'lowest among rest of the year' and the unclear description of district population shares. To improve, you must identify the most significant trends—such as the rapid growth of Brooklyn and Queens compared to Manhattan—rather than listing isolated figures.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the total population and the district-specific data is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used in a very mechanical and sometimes inaccurate way, such as 'Afterwards, it got steep increased' and 'In the last year(2000), it reaches to'. The final paragraph is particularly confusing, as it attempts to summarize but fails to clearly distinguish between the districts or explain the data provided in the tables. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'lowest' and 'highest' multiple times. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'calibrated into nos.' and 'steep increased'. The phrase 'the year last year of the New York City' is awkward and unclear. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'experienced a significant rise', or 'accounted for a substantial proportion'. Expanding your range of synonyms and focusing on correct collocations will help you convey information more professionally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, for example, 'the population... were 79,216' and 'the highest population were'. There are also errors in tense usage and sentence structure, such as 'it reaches to 8,009,185' instead of 'it reached'. The use of prepositions and articles is often incorrect, such as 'in year last year'. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement and tense consistency will help you improve your accuracy significantly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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