Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-01
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 table shows how total population in United States cities varies during 1800 to 2000 each year. New York is one of the biggest cities, that's why we can see that the population in 1800 is around 79216 compared to a smaller city like Manhattan the population in 1800 was 60,515 which is also quite a lot considering the size of the city. Offcourse, the district shows much smaller number and about 24% of population in 1800.
Newyork shows a rapid increase in population from 1800 to 2000; from 79216 in 1800 to 8,[redacted phone] in the year 2000. Similarly in other districts, there is an increase in population each year from 18701 in 1800 to [redacted phone] in 200. But looking at Manhattan, there is a slight shift in 1900 the population is 54% and then in 2000 it decreases to 19%.
The increase in New York's population totally makes sense, as it is a big city, also alot of immigrants come here.
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 accurately interpret the provided data. You misidentified the subject as 'United States cities' rather than New York City and its districts. Furthermore, the data points cited are often incorrect or confusing, such as the claim that Manhattan is a 'smaller city' compared to New York, when it is a district of the same city. The analysis lacks a clear overview of the trends, and the inclusion of personal opinion ('totally makes sense') is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, focus on objectively describing the data trends and ensuring you understand the relationship between the categories provided in the tables.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the general population and the district-specific data is disjointed. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'Similarly' and 'But', they are not always used accurately to connect related ideas. The referencing is often unclear, particularly when discussing the districts, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'big' and 'increase' throughout the text. There are also errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Offcourse' and 'Newyork'. The use of 'quite a lot' is too informal for an academic report. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'significant growth', 'fluctuated', or 'proportion', and ensure that you are using precise terminology to describe the data provided in the tables.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Issues include incorrect punctuation (e.g., '8,009.185' and '6471089 in 200'), subject-verb agreement errors, and awkward sentence structures. The use of complex sentences is limited and often contains errors, such as the run-on sentence in the first paragraph. You should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including correct use of articles, pluralization, and standard number formatting, before attempting more complex structures. Proofreading for basic errors like 'Offcourse' is essential.
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.