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 the change in the population of new York city from 1800 to 2000 as well as 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.
Overall, In the given graphs provided the population of New York city all five districts from 1800 to 2000. Subsequently, gives Manhattan and other districts with the percentage of the total population.
In 1800, the population of five districts were 79,216 in New York city. After that, 1900 year population were increase rapidly like 79,216 to 3,[redacted phone] in all five districts. Then, 2000 the population were growth rather than 1900. However, the number of population were 8,009,185 in New York City.
By Contrast, Manhattan and other districts population were 60,515 and 18,701 in 1800 with 76% in Manhattan and 24% in other districts. In 1900, Manhattan population were increase but percentage was decrease as well as in other districts. Subsequently, in 2000 Manhattan population and percentage also decrease however in other districts were rise as same.
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 attempts to address the task by summarizing the provided tables, but it fails to clearly identify and report the main features. The overview is disjointed and lacks clarity, making it difficult to understand the overall trends. While the student mentions the population figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000, the data is often presented inaccurately or confusingly (e.g., '3,437.202'). The comparison between Manhattan and the other districts is attempted, but the lack of precision in reporting the data and the failure to highlight significant shifts (such as the massive growth in the other districts compared to Manhattan) results in an underdeveloped response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inappropriate, such as the repetitive use of 'Subsequently' and 'However' which do not always logically connect the ideas. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the 'other districts' versus the total population. The transition between the general population data and the district-specific data is abrupt, and the lack of clear signposting makes the progression of information difficult to follow for the reader.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'change', 'increase', and 'decrease' throughout the text. There are significant issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'population were growth' instead of 'population grew' or 'population experienced growth'. The misuse of numbers and the inability to accurately describe statistical trends (e.g., 'increase rapidly like 79,216 to 3,437.202') indicate a lack of control over the vocabulary required for describing data. Spelling errors, such as 'Staten, Island', also detract from the overall quality.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often impede communication. There is a persistent failure in subject-verb agreement, such as 'the population of five districts were' and 'the number of population were'. Sentence structures are largely simple and often contain errors in word order or tense usage. The attempt to use complex structures is limited and usually results in ungrammatical phrasing, such as 'the population of new York city all five districts from 1800 to 2000'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the unnecessary use of commas.
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