Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-07
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 given illustrates changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The second and third tables show variation in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same period.
Overall, the population of New york sky-rocketed in the beginning of twenty first century. while the population of Manhattan was the highest in the late eighteen hundred century.
To commence , the all five districts of New york investigated a gradual growth in their population by 79,216 in 1800 which rise up to 3,437,202 in the late 90's . Furthermore, the number spiked to 8,009,185 by 2000. In contrast, Manhattan experienced slightly lower percenatge increase in the total population among all five districts with just 19% in the 2000.
Moving towards the other districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) were lower in the population count with just 18,701 residents in th 1800.
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 fails to provide a clear overview of the main trends. While it mentions the total population growth, the specific data points provided are often inaccurate or confusingly presented. For example, the statement that the population was 79,216 in 1800 and rose to 3,437,202 in the 'late 90s' does not align clearly with the provided tables. Furthermore, the comparison of Manhattan's percentage increase is not supported by a clear explanation of how that figure was derived. The response lacks a comprehensive analysis of the significant shifts between the five districts over the two-century period, resulting in an under-developed summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused, such as 'To commence' to start the second paragraph, which is not appropriate for a data summary. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the districts collectively versus individually. The transition between the general overview and the specific data points is abrupt, and the lack of clear signposting makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison of the five districts over time.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and contains several inaccuracies. Phrases like 'sky-rocketed in the beginning of twenty first century' and 'investigated a gradual growth' are either stylistically inappropriate or misused in this context. There are also errors in basic terminology, such as 'eighteen hundred century' instead of 'the 19th century'. While the student attempts to use some descriptive language, the lack of precision and the repetitive nature of the phrasing hinder the clarity of the report. More precise terminology related to data trends is required.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with article usage ('the all five districts'), subject-verb agreement ('which rise up'), and prepositional errors ('in the 2000'). Sentence structures are generally simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors, such as the sentence fragment 'Moving towards the other districts... were lower in the population count'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of apostrophes and capitalization (e.g., 'New york').
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