Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-24
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 three tables illustrates changes in the New York city the population of the five district of the city(Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx ,Queens ,Staten island)from 1800 to 2000
In the 1800 New York city the population was 79,216 across all the districts according to sources on Manhattan city most of the population around 76% of the population are living in the Manhattan city where other districts have just 24% of population is living there. Manhattan is there major city in that time.
In 1900 New York has population with 3,437,202 people are living in the new York and there major city Manhattan in 1900 overall 1,850,093 population living there which is 54% and then all other four districts are has 46% of population has living approx 1,587,109 then changes has came people has starting living in the districts also then in year 2000 the population was 8,009,185 in new York in other districts(brooklyn, bronx queens staen island )has major population than Manhattan district over other district 81% manhattan has 19% there is major difference
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 covers the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial and lacks a clear overview. The data presentation is occasionally inaccurate; for example, the claim that 81% of the population lived in Manhattan in 2000 is incorrect based on the provided tables. Furthermore, the response lacks a clear structure, making it difficult to follow the progression of data over the two-century period. To improve, ensure that data points are accurately transcribed and that a clear, concise overview is provided in the introduction or conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks clear paragraphing, which makes it difficult to distinguish between the different time periods. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas, and the flow is often disjointed. The use of referencing is weak, and the transition between the 1800, 1900, and 2000 data points is abrupt. To improve, use clear paragraph breaks for each time period or theme, and incorporate linking words such as 'subsequently', 'in contrast', or 'meanwhile' to guide the reader through the data comparisons.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'population', 'living', and 'districts'. There are several errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'there major city' instead of 'their major city' and 'changes has came'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the information with precision. To improve, try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs and nouns, such as 'witnessed', 'accounted for', 'proportion', and 'demographic shift', to describe the trends more professionally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'The three tables illustrates') and incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'people has starting living'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and run-on sentences that impede readability. The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at complex sentences are often marred by errors. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that punctuation is used correctly to separate distinct ideas.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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