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 tables povide information about the population changes over three years in New York City and other five districts. Overall, the New York City became over populated over the years. While the percentage of people who lived in Manhattan declined substantailly, it was increase in other four districts.

The number of population in all five districts of New Tork City increased over the period. Began with 79,216 in 1800, and then it rose to 3,437,202 in 1900. Finally the city becam over populated at around 8 million in 2000.

Looking at Manhattan district, which experienced a dramatic declined in their population, in 1800, the percentage was 76% of the total population, which then dropped to just over half of the total (54%) in 1900. This figure witnessed a sharp decline to 19% in 2000, representing the significant demographic shift of people from Mnahattan to other districts. In addition, the prices number of individuals who lived over these three years was 60,515, 1,859,093, and 1,538,096.

The other other four districts experienced a significant increased in population number over three years. There was only 24% of people lived in those districts in 1800, which then this figure increased to 46% in 1900,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the data, such as the overall population growth and the shift from Manhattan to other districts. However, the report is incomplete; it cuts off mid-sentence in the final paragraph, failing to provide a full summary of the data provided in the tables. While the overview is clear, the lack of completion prevents a higher score. The data selection is generally accurate, but the failure to finish the report significantly impacts the overall task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete final paragraph. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'While', and 'In addition', but some are used mechanically or incorrectly (e.g., 'Began with 79,216...'). The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the abrupt ending makes the overall coherence feel disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and contains several errors. Phrases like 'over populated' (should be 'overpopulated') and 'prices number' (likely meant 'precise numbers') show a lack of control. There are also spelling errors such as 'substantailly' and 'Mnahattan'. While the student attempts to use some academic vocabulary, the frequency of errors and the limited range prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but grammatical errors are frequent. Examples include 'The tables povide' (spelling), 'The number of population' (incorrect collocation), and 'it was increase' (missing article/incorrect verb form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in the second paragraph. These errors occur throughout the text and occasionally impede the flow, though the meaning remains generally understandable.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.