Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-20
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 bar charts below depicts the fluctuations happened in the citizens of New York in between the period of 1800 to 2000. The other two tables outline the alterations in the population size in the different districts of New York from the 1800 to 2000.
Overall it is clear that the population peaked during the starting periods, In the mid duration the inhabitants were the smallest whilst in the final evaluation year it was moderate. If we observe the general population size of the five regions of New York than we are able to observe that it reached its maximum in the ending year. On the other hand the inhabitants in the district Manhattan the population percentage rose the highest in the start of the timespan.
To be specific, in the time 1800s the overall population of the new York city reached its maximum and it was exactly 79,216, In the mid time period of 1900s the number of citizens were almost 3,437,202 which is average compared to the other years. Now if we observe the 2000s evaluation then we can see that the number of people were about 8,009,185 and it is the least amount in the mentioned time periods. To evaluate the total percentage of the population in the district Manhattan we are able to understand that during the year 2000 the citizens in this regions were the smallest of 19% only than other years like in 1800s the number of people peaked to 60,515 as in percentage 76% while it was moderate in the duration 1900s. If we talk about rest of the cities mentioned here, we can see that the population size was 81% in the final year 2000 which as a whole contributes largely in the whole city population. In the period of 1800 the citizens percentage dropped to 24% which is the smallest in the overall period mentioned.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5
The candidate attempts to cover the main features of the charts and tables, but there are several severe factual inaccuracies and misreadings of the data. For example, the student states that the overall population in 1800 reached a maximum of 79,216 and that the population in 2000 was 'the least amount' (8,009,185), which directly contradicts the visual data showing massive population growth over time. Additionally, the overview contains contradictory and confusing statements about trends. While some districts and proportions are mentioned, the misunderstanding of basic numerical data pulls down the score significantly. Task achievement is limited by these factual errors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is organized into paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, logical progression is frequently disrupted by confusing phrasing and poor cohesion. Phrases like 'To be specific, in the time 1800s the overall population of the new York city reached its maximum and it was exactly 79,216' demonstrate awkward transitions and faulty logical relationships. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion is often mechanical or inaccurate, making it difficult for the reader to follow the argument smoothly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for basic communication but contains noticeable inaccuracies and unnatural collocations. The student repeats terms such as 'population', 'district', and 'citizens' frequently. There are also inappropriate word choices, such as 'starting periods', 'mid duration', and 'final evaluation year'. Less common lexical items are attempted, but they often result in unnatural phrasing, which impedes the precision required for an Academic Task 1 response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but control over grammar and punctuation is weak. There are frequent errors in tense usage, preposition choice, and clause structure, such as 'the fluctuations happened in the citizens' and 'than we are able to observe'. Run-on sentences and punctuation slips are common throughout the text, leading to frequent errors that can cause difficulty for the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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