Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-25
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 growth of the total population of New York City over the period from 1800 to 2000, while the second and third ones depict growth of the population of the five districts of the city; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island throughout the same period.
Overall, as can be seen from the tables, total population had a positive growth in New York city throughout the period. Although Manhaten showed a positive growth in terms of population, its contripution declined sharply during the period. In contrast, the other districts had a great positive growth in both parameters population and percentage of total population.
In 1800, New York City had 79,216 people, and it is shared as 60,515 for Manhaten representing 76% and 18,701 for the other districts representing 24%. After that, in 1900, there were some shift of population percentage from Manhaten to the other districts to be 54% and 46% respectively.
Finally, in 2000, the total population of New York city was 8,009,185 and Manhaten constitute for only 19% but the other districts were higher by around five folds.
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 covers the main features of the data, including the overall growth of the population and the shift in distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the total population and the percentage shifts, you fail to provide a detailed comparison of the individual districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) as requested by the prompt. The data for 1900 is mentioned, but the 1850 and 1950 data points are ignored, leading to an incomplete overview of the trends. To improve, ensure you select and report on the most significant data points across all provided tables to provide a more comprehensive summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Although', and 'Finally' helps to guide the reader through the information. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'it is shared as 60,515 for Manhaten'. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to the 'other districts' as a collective group without specifying the individual trends. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used more naturally would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for the communication of basic trends. You use terms like 'positive growth', 'declined sharply', and 'percentage'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'Manhaten' (Manhattan) and 'contripution' (contribution). Furthermore, the phrasing 'higher by around five folds' is unnatural and imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise academic vocabulary and ensure accurate spelling of key terms. Using a wider variety of synonyms for 'growth' and 'increase' would also demonstrate a stronger command of lexical resources.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'there were some shift' (should be 'there was some shift') and 'Manhaten constitute for' (should be 'Manhattan accounted for'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in the introduction where a semicolon is used incorrectly. The errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader, though they do not completely impede communication. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.
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.