Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-03
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 first table illustrates changes in the population of New York City over two centuries (1800)-2000). While the second and third table describes alter in the population of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island over the same period.
Overall, it can be seen that, population increased over the period including New York and all five districts. the major increased shows in the last century of New York city.
To begin with, in 1800 century population was 60,515 around 76% in the Manhattan declined up to 19% and population was rose up to 1,538,096. While the major changes shown in the last century of New York City it surged up 8,009,785.
Furthermore, other four districts population were rose significantly 18,701 and 24% in 1800 century. In addition, in 1900 century it can be seen that 46% and population was 1,587,109 the rate was similar to Manhattan last century. However, the final century of the four districts was seen major changes up to 81% and population was significantly rose up to 6,471,089.
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 attempts to summarise the data but fails to clearly present the main trends. The information provided is often confusing or inaccurate; for example, the claim that Manhattan's population 'declined up to 19%' contradicts the data provided in the tables. Furthermore, the grouping of the 'other four districts' is handled in a way that makes the data difficult to follow. The overview is present but lacks the necessary precision to highlight the most significant changes over the two-century period. To improve, focus on identifying clear trends (e.g., the rapid growth in the 20th century) and ensure the figures cited accurately reflect the source material.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression within them is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as the awkward transition 'To begin with, in 1800 century'. The referencing is frequently unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow which data points correspond to which time periods or districts. While there is an attempt to use linking words, they do not always serve to connect ideas logically. Improving the clarity of sentence structure and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear focus would significantly enhance the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The range of vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'major increased shows' instead of 'major increase shown' and 'population was rose' instead of 'population rose'. The student struggles to use precise terminology for describing trends, often relying on basic verbs like 'rose' or 'shown'. To reach a higher band, the student should practice using more sophisticated vocabulary for describing data, such as 'surged', 'fluctuated', or 'experienced a significant growth', and pay closer attention to the correct grammatical form of these words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are consistent issues with verb tense and voice, such as 'population was rose' and 'other four districts population were rose'. Additionally, there are errors in sentence construction, such as the sentence fragment 'While the second and third table describes alter in the population...'. The use of articles and prepositions is also inconsistent. While the student attempts some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. Focusing on basic sentence construction and ensuring subject-verb agreement would be a good starting point for improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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