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 information represents the number of population in the New York City and its five districts .
Overall, New York City population is extremely high due to great facilities and it kept increasing every year . On the other hand , Manhattan and other districts like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island population is high but not as New York City . Firstly, in 1800 the New York population is 79,216 it kept increasing in 1900 and at last it reached 8,009,185 in 2000 .
Whereas, Manhattan and other districts population is compared . In 1800 and 1900 population of Manhattan has the highest percentage then other districts . However population of Manhattan decreases in 2000and other districts population rises. The chart of percentage of Manhattan was 76 percent in 1800 . In 1900 percentage was 54 percent it kept decreasing . in 2000 percentage was 19 percent . However, other districts population improved every year . In 1800 population percentage was 24 . In 1900 and 2000 the population percentage was decreased to 81 percent .
In case of comparison Manhattan population was at highest rate but at last the percentage was decreased . Whereas, the percentage of other districts were at lowest rate but in the end population increases .
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 identifies the main trends, such as the overall population growth and the shift in distribution from Manhattan to the other districts. However, the analysis is hampered by significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, the student claims the population of other districts decreased to 81 percent in 1900 and 2000, which contradicts the provided data. Furthermore, the explanation for the population growth—'due to great facilities'—is an external opinion not supported by the data, which is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report. The summary lacks a clear, objective overview of the key features, and the data reporting is inconsistent.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as the repetitive use of 'However' and 'Whereas' to start sentences without clear logical connection to the preceding point. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the 'other districts' as a collective group. The flow between sentences is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the total population and the district-specific percentages. Paragraphing is present but does not effectively group related information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'high', 'increasing', and 'improved' throughout the text. There are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'number of population' instead of 'total population' and 'at last it reached', which is not standard for data reporting. The misuse of terminology, such as referring to the districts as 'percentage' when discussing raw population figures, indicates a lack of precision. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but these are frequently marred by grammatical errors. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Manhattan and other districts... population is high') and tense usage (e.g., 'population is compared'). Punctuation is also problematic, with inconsistent spacing before commas and periods. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to cause difficulty for the reader and demonstrate a lack of control over basic sentence construction.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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