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 compares the changes in the total population of New York from 1800 to 2000. And the last tow tables illustrate the changes in the population of other districts over the same period.
Overall, it is evident that there were some noticeable differences among the categories, with some categories recording significant higher figures than others.
In New York city, the population was increasing. in 1800, the total population was 79,216 and 1 century later the citizens were increasing to 3,437,202 people. In 2002, almost 8,009,185 residents in the New York city.
On the other hand, in 2000 as percentage every districts increased their population except Manhattan. In 1800 and 1900 the total population was 60,515 and 1,850,093. However, in 2000 the total amount of resident people decreased to 1,538,096. Moreover, in the other districts the total percentage was same as New York city in 1800 was 24% , in 1900 was 46% and in 2000 the percentage of citizens slightly increased and it was 81%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main trends in the total population but struggles to effectively report the data for the five districts. While the overall increase is noted, the analysis of the district-specific data is confusing and inaccurate. For instance, the claim that all districts increased except Manhattan is not clearly supported by the provided data, and the description of the percentage changes is difficult to follow. The summary lacks a clear comparison between the districts, which is a key requirement of the task. To improve, you should focus on grouping the data logically—perhaps by comparing the growth rates of the different districts—rather than listing figures in a way that obscures the main features.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
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 transition 'On the other hand' which does not logically introduce the subsequent paragraph. Referencing is also unclear; for example, the phrase 'the total percentage was same as New York city' is confusing and lacks a clear antecedent. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks a coherent flow, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison of the data over the century-long period.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on basic terms like 'increasing', 'total', and 'amount'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'resident people' and 'as percentage every districts'. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of the information. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider variety of synonyms for growth (e.g., 'surged', 'experienced a steady rise') and more precise terminology when discussing statistical data, such as 'proportion' or 'demographic shift'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('every districts increased'), incorrect preposition usage ('in 2000 as percentage'), and awkward phrasing ('the citizens were increasing to'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some sentences starting with lowercase letters. While the meaning is generally discernible, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on accurate verb tenses and consistent sentence structure would significantly improve the quality of your writing.
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.