Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-17
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 given three charts gives the changes in proportion of population over a time perios of 2 centuries between 1800 and 2000 in different cities of the U.S.A. These cities are New York, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island.
Overall, in the year of 1800, the population of New York City was highest which remained at top till 2000. On the other hand the proportion of people was lowest in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island which remained more than the population of Manhattan till the end of 2 centuries.
In the begining, the population of New York city was 79,216, it rose moderately it reached at 8,009,185. Its number of
people was highest in initial times and remained more than other cities.
While the population of other districts like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island was lowest in 1800 but its population
grew greatly and reached at a figure of 6,471,089. In contrast, the population contributation of Manhattan was 76% in 1800 and but it decreased significantly and it came down at 19%.
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 cover the main features of the charts, noting the overall population growth of New York City and the shift in population distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, there are significant comprehension errors in the overview and body paragraphs. For instance, the student states that the population of New York City was highest in 1800 and remained at the top, which misinterprets the data as New York City is the sum of all districts, not a competing entity. Furthermore, referring to the districts as different 'cities of the U.S.A.' is factually inaccurate based on the prompt. While the figures for 1800, 1900, and 2000 are generally reported correctly (e.g., reaching 8,009,185 and Manhattan falling to 19%), the flawed overview and misinterpretation of the relationships between the overall total and the constituent districts prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is divided into four paragraphs, following a standard introduction, overview, and body structure. However, logical progression is hindered by confusing claims in the overview and awkward referencing. Cohesive devices are used minimally and sometimes inappropriately, such as 'In the begining, the population of New York city was 79,216, it rose moderately it reached at...' which results in run-on phrasing and comma splices. Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of ideas lacks smooth transitions between the overall trend and the specific district breakdowns.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using terms like 'proportion', 'significantly', and 'contributation' (though misspelled). There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as referring to districts as 'cities' and using 'initial times' instead of 'initially'. Spelling errors like 'perios', 'begining', and 'contributation' occur. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey basic data points, these frequent inaccuracies restrict the score to band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but grammatical accuracy is weak. There are several run-on sentences and punctuation errors, particularly comma splices, as seen in '...population of New York city was 79,216, it rose moderately it reached at...'. Preposition and verb form errors also appear frequently, such as 'reached at a figure' instead of 'reached a figure' and 'came down at 19%' instead of 'dropped to 19%'. These frequent errors cause some difficulty for the reader and demonstrate limited control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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