Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-21
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 compare the changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The other two tables show changes in the total population across five district of the city over the same period.
overall, New York City (all five districts) recorded the highest population over the period.While,
According to the first table, in 20000 the New York City (all five districts) recorded the highest number of total population 8,009,185. While the lowest figure was in 1800 only 79,216 total population. Futhermore, in 1900 New York City (all five districts) represented about 3,437,202 number of resident.
According to the table two, the Manhattan district accounted for the largest figure 1,850,093 in 1900 as percentage of total population was 54%. in 20000
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. Furthermore, the content is incomplete; the response stops abruptly mid-sentence while discussing the second table. While you have attempted to identify some main features, such as the population growth in NYC and the dominance of Manhattan in 1900, the analysis is superficial and lacks a comprehensive overview of the trends across all five districts. To improve, ensure you cover all parts of the prompt, provide a clear summary of the data, and write a full response that meets the length requirement to allow for sufficient development of ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response lacks a logical structure. The paragraphing is disjointed, and the abrupt ending makes it difficult to follow the progression of information. While there are some attempts at cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'While', their usage is often grammatically incorrect or misplaced (e.g., starting a sentence with 'While,'). The lack of a clear conclusion or a cohesive summary of the data makes the writing feel fragmented. To improve, focus on using transition words correctly to link ideas and ensure each paragraph has a clear purpose, leading to a logical flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, relying heavily on the words provided in the prompt. There are errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'represented about 3,437,202 number of resident' and 'accounted for the largest figure'. The range of vocabulary is limited, which prevents a more precise description of the data trends. To improve, try to incorporate a wider range of synonyms and descriptive phrases related to data analysis, such as 'experienced a significant increase', 'remained the most populous', or 'accounted for a substantial proportion'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The first table compare'), incorrect punctuation ('While, According to'), and awkward sentence construction ('in 20000 the New York City... recorded the highest number of total population 8,009,185'). The use of complex structures is minimal and often inaccurate. To improve, focus on basic sentence structure, ensuring correct subject-verb agreement and proper punctuation. Practice writing complete, error-free sentences before attempting more complex grammatical structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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