Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-27

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 how the total population changed in New York City over an 200-years period, starting from 1800. The second and third tables depict changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same period.

Overall, it is evident that the number of total population of New York City increased over the period. Furthermore, although changes in the population of the Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island climbed over the same period, Manhattan slightly showed decreased In 1800, the total population of New York City stood at 79,216 and the trend rose significantly at 8,009,185 in 2000.

One the other hand, the population of the Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island climbed from

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. Because the text is incomplete and ends abruptly, the overview is underdeveloped and the data reporting is fragmented. While you identified the general upward trend for NYC and noted the contrast regarding Manhattan, the lack of completion means you have not fully addressed the requirements of the prompt. To improve, ensure you provide a comprehensive summary that covers all data points and allows for a full comparison of the five districts across the specified timeframes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is too short to demonstrate a full range of cohesive devices or effective paragraphing. While there is a basic attempt at an introduction and an overview, the abrupt ending prevents the development of a logical flow. The use of linking words like 'Overall' and 'Furthermore' is appropriate, but the lack of a completed body paragraph makes the overall structure feel disjointed. To improve, focus on planning your response to ensure you have enough content to create distinct, well-structured paragraphs that guide the reader through the data logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'illustrates', 'depict', and 'significantly' used correctly. However, the range is limited due to the brevity of the response. There are minor errors, such as 'an 200-years period' (should be 'a 200-year period') and 'total population of New York City increased' (the word 'total' is redundant here). To achieve a higher band, focus on using more precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stagnant', and ensure accurate word formation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that hinder the quality of the writing. For example, 'the number of total population' is awkward phrasing, and 'Manhattan slightly showed decreased' is grammatically incorrect (should be 'showed a slight decrease'). Additionally, there are punctuation and preposition errors, such as 'One the other hand' (should be 'On the other hand'). To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions to ensure your sentences are error-free.

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

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