Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-23
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 three tabular charts provide the analysis of population trend from 1800 to 2000 in new york city along with the comparision of Manttan district with other 4 four districts over the same two centuries.
Overall, it is evident that population saw upward trend throughout the centuries in New York city. Meanwhile, Manhattan's contribution in population drastically decline throughout 200- year period as compare to other districts.
In 1800, the New York city had a modest population with 79,216 residents. the vast majority of people's favourite place was Manhattan with 60,515 natives 65% of the total population more than three times high as other distrits of New York ity.Moving forward
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 response is severely under-length, containing only 110 words compared to the required minimum of 150 words. This automatically caps the Task Achievement score. Furthermore, the response cuts off mid-sentence at 'Moving forward', failing to complete the description of the visual data. Although the student attempts an overview and references some initial data points such as the 1800 population of 79,216 and Manhattan's figures, the lack of completion and overall brevity mean that all parts of the task are only partially addressed. To improve, ensure all data periods are fully covered and the word count exceeds the 150-word threshold.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The writing begins with a clear introductory sentence and attempts a logical progression by introducing an overview paragraph ('Overall, it is evident that...'). However, the text breaks off abruptly at the end ('Moving forward'), and cohesive devices are somewhat basic or mechanically applied, such as 'Meanwhile' and 'In 1800'. Paragraphing is partially visible, but the incomplete nature of the response hinders overall cohesion and structural development. For a higher band, the student must complete the essay, ensure smooth transitions between body paragraphs, and maintain a consistent logical flow from introduction to conclusion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student attempts some task-specific vocabulary related to demographics and data reporting, such as 'tabular charts', 'population trend', and 'proportion'. However, there are notable lexical and mechanical errors, including spelling mistakes ('new york city', 'comparision', 'Manttan', 'distrits', 'ity') and awkward phrasing like 'vast majority of people's favourite place was Manhattan'. The range is limited and repetition occurs. To improve, the student needs to expand their vocabulary for describing trends (e.g., using 'surge', 'plummet', or 'proportion') and carefully proofread their work for basic spelling and capitalization errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text demonstrates a mix of simple sentence structures and some attempts at complex forms, such as 'Overall, it is evident that population saw upward trend...'. However, grammatical accuracy is compromised by missing articles ('the New York city', 'upward trend'), incorrect prepositions ('in population'), and sentence fragments or incomplete constructions, particularly at the end of the text. Punctuation is also erratic, with lowercase letters starting sentences ('the vast majority'). While communication is not entirely impeded in the completed sections, the high frequency of errors across a limited structure restricts the score to a Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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