Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-10
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 the total inhabitants of New York City and population changes in the five district (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island)between 1800 and 2000.
Overall, the population of New York City dramatically increase over the period. However the city of Manhattan the residents continue declined. While in fiver district the population was firstly fell and then climbed during the period.
By regarding, the New York City population was 79,219 in 1800 then the inhabitants significantly grew in 1900 and population was 3,437,202 . In 2000 the population was the highest at 8,009,185. While, the city of Manhattan the population 76 % in 1800 and the total number of population 16,515.
Furthermore, in 1900 the total population 1,850,093 and decreased and the percentage is 54% and in 2000 the population dropped at 19% and total people at 1,538,096 end of the period. In addition, other five district firstly the population at 18,7001 in 1800 and percentage at 24% whereas, in 1900 the population rise and people of percentage at 46 % at the population highest at 2000.
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, such as the overall growth of NYC and the declining percentage share of Manhattan. However, the analysis is hampered by significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For example, the statement that Manhattan's population 'declined' is factually incorrect based on the provided tables, which show an increase in absolute numbers. Furthermore, the description of the 'other five districts' is confusing and misinterprets the data provided in the tables. While the response attempts to report on the main trends, the lack of clarity and the misrepresentation of the figures prevent a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is frequently disrupted by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'Furthermore', and 'In addition', but they are often applied mechanically or incorrectly, such as 'By regarding' at the start of a paragraph. The progression of ideas is difficult to follow because the sentences do not connect logically, and the relationship between the total population and the district-specific data is not clearly articulated. The paragraphing is present but does not effectively group related information.
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 'the residents continue declined' instead of 'continued to decline' and 'people of percentage' which is non-standard. The student struggles to use precise terminology to describe statistical trends, relying on basic verbs like 'grew', 'fell', and 'climbed'. While the meaning is generally discernible, the lack of control over word forms and the misuse of technical terms like 'percentage' significantly impact the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('population... increase'), tense consistency, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or lack necessary articles and prepositions, such as 'in fiver district' and 'total population 1,850,093'. Complex sentence structures are attempted but are usually inaccurate, leading to confusion. The control of basic grammar is weak, and the errors are persistent throughout the text, which limits the score in this criterion.
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