Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-24
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 compares the total population of New york city between 1800 and 2000, while second and third tables show changes in the population of the five districts of the city over the same period: Manhattam, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten island.
Overall, population in five districts showed three different values in three different years. Manhattan population accounted for the highest percentage, while other four districts recorded the smallest percentage.
Looking first at,new york city showed all five districts population between 1800 to 2000. In 1800, New york city recorded the smallest value 79,216, while New york city all five districts accounted for the highest value compared to the other 2 years at 8,009,185.In 1900 showed at 3,437,202.
On the other hand, Manhattan had the largest percentage at 76% in 1800. In 1900, manhattan recorded the second largest proportion at 54% compared with other 4 countries. The figure for Manhattan was 19% in 2000. Moreover, In 1800 other four districts were 24%. In contrast, other four districts were 46% and 24% at 1900 and 1800 respectively.
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 candidate attempts to cover the main features of the task, noting the overall population growth and contrasting Manhattan with the other districts. However, the response suffers from significant data confusion and poor selection. For instance, the statement 'In 1800, New york city recorded the smallest value 79,216, while New york city all five districts accounted for the highest value compared to the other 2 years at 8,009,185' is repetitive and lacks clarity. Furthermore, the district data is inaccurately reported in places, such as confusing percentage figures or referring to districts as 'countries'. The overview is simplistic and fails to effectively highlight the dramatic shift in population share from Manhattan to the other districts over the two centuries. As a result, Task Achievement falls into the Band 5 category.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into basic paragraphs, starting with an introduction and an overall statement. However, the progression of ideas is frequently disrupted by awkward transitions and confusing sentences, such as 'Looking first at,new york city showed all five districts population between 1800 to 2000.' Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes inaccurately, leading to a disjointed reading experience. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the paragraphing does not adequately structure the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts. This corresponds to a Band 5 level for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The lexical range is limited and repetitive. The student relies heavily on basic vocabulary and direct lifting from the prompt ('total population', 'districts', 'percentage'). There are notable word choice errors, such as referring to the four combined districts as 'countries' ('compared with other 4 countries'). Spelling and capitalization errors are also present, including proper nouns like 'New york city', 'Manhattam', and 'Staten island'. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey basic concepts, the frequency of errors and lack of less common lexical items restrict the score to Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control is weak. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('while second and third tables'), incorrect prepositions, and awkward clause structures ('In 1900 showed at 3,437,202'). Punctuation and capitalization are also problematic throughout the text. Complex structures often result in faulty grammar that can cause difficulty for the reader. These persistent inaccuracies place the response firmly in Band 5 for Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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