Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-14
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 tables shows us the population of five districts of New York City from they year 1800 to 2000.
Initially, the total population of all the five districts in 1800 was 79,216 from which 76% were from Manhattan and remaining 24% were from other districts. In 1900, the total population of all the states was 3,437,202. 1,850,093 were from Manhattan and 1,587,109 were from other states. There was a huge amount of change in population from 1800 to 1900. It seems to be increasing rapidly with the time.
Coming to the year 2000, the total population of New York City was 8,009,185. Manhattan fulfilled 19% of the total population and the remaining 81% were provided by other states i.e. Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island.
Overall, the table provides us information about the total population of New York and also gives us information about the states of the New York City.
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 student attempts to address the task by reporting key data points from the tables provided, such as the total population figures in 1800, 1900, and 2000. However, the report fails to provide a comprehensive overview of all five districts across the entire time period. The response relies heavily on isolated figures for Manhattan versus the rest, while neglecting the individual trends of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Furthermore, referring to the districts as "states" throughout the text is a factual error that impacts task understanding. While the overview attempts to summarise the general trend, the overall selection and reporting of main features are incomplete and under-developed, aligning with a Band 5 performance.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is structured into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a brief concluding sentence, showing a basic attempt at paragraphing. However, the overall progression is somewhat disjointed. The transition between the 1800/1900 data and the year 2000 lacks smooth connection, and the cohesive devices used are basic and repetitive (e.g., "Initially", "Coming to the year 2000", "Overall"). Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the ambiguous phrasing regarding proportions and percentages. While there is a discernible logical arrangement, the mechanical nature of the cohesion and the lack of sophisticated signposting place this response firmly in the Band 5 category.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, frequently relying on simple terms like "population", "total", and "change". There are notable inaccuracies in word choice, most prominently referring to the city's districts as "states" (e.g., "all the states", "other states"). Attempts at less common vocabulary are limited, and phrases like "huge amount of change" lack academic precision. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey basic data points without completely obscuring meaning, the persistent lexical inaccuracies and restricted range prevent the response from achieving a higher band, making Band 5 an accurate reflection.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and moderately complex sentence structures, such as "In 1900, the total population of all the states was 3,437,202." However, control over grammar and accuracy is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, such as "The tables shows us" (subject-verb agreement error), "from they year 1800" (preposition and spelling error), and "Manhattan fulfilled 19% of the total population" (inappropriate collocation for proportions). While these errors do not entirely impede communication, their frequency across a short text means that error-free sentences are not in the majority, supporting a Band 5 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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