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 stipulated table chart depicts the information regarding the changes in the total population in New York and other countries in1800 and 2000.
Overall , it is crystal clear that minimum number of population was seen in 2000 whereas maximum number of population was noticed in 1800.
To commence with, the population in Manhattan in the year 1800 was 76%whereas in 1900 and 2000 was 54% and 19% respectively . Moving further, other districts (Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens)was 24% in 1800 and in 1900 was 46%.Nextly, in year 2000 was 81% population noticed .
Moving ahead, towards the population in NewYork city all five districts was 79,216 in 1800. 1900 population was 3,437,202 and in the year of 2000 the population was 8,009,185.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. Furthermore, the content is inaccurate; the overview incorrectly states that the population was at its minimum in 2000, whereas the data shows a massive increase. The summary of the districts is confusing and misinterprets the provided tables, failing to clearly distinguish between the total population figures and the percentage distribution across the boroughs. Key trends are not adequately highlighted or compared, leading to a fragmented and incomplete report.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The use of cohesive devices such as 'To commence with' and 'Moving further' is mechanical and does not effectively link the data points. The transition between the total population figures and the district percentages is abrupt and confusing. Referencing is often unclear, particularly when discussing 'other districts', making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of the data. The overall structure lacks the necessary cohesion to present a clear summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'minimum number of population' and 'maximum number of population' are unnatural and inaccurate in this context. There is a lack of variety in reporting verbs and descriptive language. The student relies on basic terminology and struggles to use precise vocabulary to describe statistical trends, such as 'growth', 'decline', or 'proportion'. Spelling errors, such as 'NewYork' and 'Nextly', further detract from the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'other districts... was 24%') and incorrect preposition usage. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, with most sentences being simple or poorly constructed. Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly regarding spacing around percentages and commas. These errors, combined with the limited range of structures, make the text difficult to read and indicate a lack of control over basic grammatical forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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