Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-02
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 chart illustrate the growth of population in the New York city. In addition, it also highlights the increase in population level between it's five district during 1800 to 2000.
Overall, in first it explains the total number of individuals which were dramatically rose during three centuries. Furthermore, it compared the change in population among the Manhattan and other four districts.
In 18th century, the population of human beings in New York were recorded as 79'216 which rapidly went up and stopped at 3,437,202 in 19th. After that, it surged again and in 20th century it reached to 8,009,185.
Moreover, Manhattan showed more growth in contrast of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten island. In 18th century, the growth rate in Manhattan was recorded as 76% of total while only 24% noted in other section areas. After a century, ratio of population in Manhattan was constituted 54% while other districts are little bit lower.
But, in 20th century the population percentage was recorded 81% in four districts which was three time more than the growth in Manhattan.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 it fails to accurately interpret the provided tables. The student incorrectly labels the time periods as '18th, 19th, and 20th century' instead of the specific years 1800, 1900, and 2000. Furthermore, the analysis of the population percentages is mathematically inaccurate and confusing; for instance, the claim that the population in the four districts was 'three times more' than Manhattan in the 20th century contradicts the data provided in the tables. While the main features are identified, the lack of accuracy in reporting the data significantly impacts the quality of the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'In first it explains' and 'in contrast of'. The progression of ideas is sometimes illogical due to the misinterpretation of the data. While there is an attempt to use linking words like 'Moreover' and 'Furthermore', the overall flow is hindered by awkward phrasing and a lack of clear logical connection between the sentences and the data points being discussed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic terms like 'growth', 'increase', and 'recorded'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'population of human beings', 'other section areas', and 'constituted 54%'. The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe statistical trends, which limits the ability to convey information effectively. While the meaning is generally understandable, the lack of variety and the frequent inaccuracies in word choice prevent a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The table chart illustrate', 'population... were recorded'), incorrect use of apostrophes ('it's five district'), and awkward sentence structures ('in contrast of', 'reached to'). There is a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but the accuracy is low. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of numbers (e.g., '79'216'). These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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