Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-26
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 changes in the percentage of population of New York city ( all five districts) was illustrated by tabular representation from 1800 to 2000.
Overall, it is crystal clear that the highest population was in last years compared to the other years.
Having a quick glance, it is evident that in 1800 the population was accounted for 79216 individuals and in 1900 it was at [redacted phone] which surged. In 2000 the increase in the population was significant at [redacted phone]. Interestingly, in Manhattan district 19% of total people in last year which was below 70000 . Where 54%of citizens in middle year and 76% of citizens in initial year which was accounts more than 150 lakhs.
Moving towards the rest of the information where others districts such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, State Island from New York city were represents as 24% of individuals with 18701in 1800. Which was followed by 46% by 1900 with [redacted phone] people. In contrast , the highest percentage was noted by 2000 with [redacted phone] population.
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 summarise the data but fails to accurately interpret the tables. The student confuses percentages with raw numbers and misinterprets the data for Manhattan and the other districts. For example, the claim that Manhattan had 76% of citizens in 1800 is not supported by the provided data. Furthermore, the description of the population growth is fragmented and lacks a clear, accurate overview of the trends. The response struggles to select the main features, often focusing on isolated, inaccurate figures rather than the overall growth patterns of the city and its districts. To improve, ensure you carefully read the table headers and distinguish between population totals and percentage distributions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as the awkward transition 'Where 54%of citizens in middle year'. The referencing is also unclear; for instance, the phrase 'others districts such as Brooklyn...' is grammatically disjointed and makes the flow of information difficult to follow. While there is an attempt to group information, the lack of clear logical links between sentences and the confusing presentation of data hinder the overall coherence of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and often used incorrectly. There are significant issues with word choice, such as 'tabular representation' instead of 'table', and the misuse of 'lakhs' (a non-standard unit for this context). The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe trends, relying on repetitive and sometimes inaccurate phrasing like 'highest percentage was noted by 2000'. There are also issues with basic collocations and word forms, such as 'were represents'. A wider range of vocabulary related to data description (e.g., 'surged', 'fluctuated', 'proportion') is needed to reach a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('others districts... were represents'), article usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or lack proper punctuation, such as 'Which was followed by 46% by 1900 with 158109 people.' The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple or poorly constructed complex sentences. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and work on the correct use of prepositions and articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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