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 shows changes in the total population of new York city from 1800 to 2000.The second table and third tables show changes in the population of the five districts of the city(Manhattan ,Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens ,Staten island) over the period.
The first table shows the population of new York city (all five districts)per year1800, 1900, 2000. The second table shows the population or percentage of Manhattan is 1800, 1900, 2000. The third table shows percentage or population of other districts( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island) is 1800, 1900, 2000. The first table shows the population of the year of 1800 is 79216 and population of year 1900 is [redacted phone] and the population of year of 2000 is [redacted phone]. The second table shows the population or percentage of Manhattan is per year 1800 is population is 60515 and percentage of total population is 76% and the year of 1900 population is [redacted phone] and the percentage is 54% and the year of 2000 population is [redacted phone] and the percentage is 19%. The third table shows the population of other districts per year 1800 is population of 18701 and percentage of total population is 24%an other year of 1900 is population is [redacted phone] and percentage is 46% and population of year 2000 is [redacted phone] and percentage of total population is 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 features of the data, but it is presented in a very mechanical, list-like fashion. While you have included the figures for the years 1800, 1900, and 2000, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the trends. Instead of grouping the data to highlight significant shifts (such as the dramatic growth of the total population or the inverse relationship between Manhattan's population share and the other districts), you have simply listed the numbers from the tables. To improve, you should synthesize the information rather than transcribing it.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow. The text is essentially one long block of information. There is a lack of cohesive devices; you rely on repetitive phrases like 'The first table shows' and 'The second table shows' to start almost every sentence. To achieve a higher band, you need to use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'in contrast', 'whereas') and organize your ideas into logical paragraphs, such as one for the total population and another for the district comparisons.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. You use the word 'population' and 'table' excessively throughout the text. There is no attempt to use synonyms or more sophisticated vocabulary to describe the data (e.g., 'figures', 'statistics', 'proportion', 'dramatic increase', 'significant decline'). The phrasing is quite basic, which restricts your ability to convey the information with precision. Expanding your vocabulary to include terms related to data analysis would significantly improve your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The sentence structure is repetitive and simplistic. Most sentences follow the same 'The [x] shows [y]' pattern. There are several punctuation errors, such as missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'Manhattan ,Brooklyn') and inconsistent capitalization (e.g., 'new York city'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of complex sentence structures and the frequent minor errors in mechanics prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. You should aim to vary your sentence length and structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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