Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-25
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 below shows changes of population in New York. While other tables illustrate about five district of the city. Which names are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten, Island.
Overall, In the fist table shows all districts population and years, population in 1800 is 79,216 and in 2000 population is 8,009,185. Population was not much enough in Manhattan the year 1800, while in the other districts population increased by the time and in 2000 population was 6,471,08.
In 1800 , The population was 76% in Manhattan and rapidly increased 1,850,093 in the year 1900 and then decreased in the year 2000.
While on the other districts population was 18,701 in the year 1800 and increased in 1900 and reached 1,587,109, and then rapidly increased in 2000.
In conclusion, In district Manhattan the population was enough if we compared with other district, On the other district the population was low after some time population increased and reached on high percentage.
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 trends in the tables regarding the population of New York City and its districts from 1800 to 2000. However, the response contains several data inaccuracies and missing details. For example, the student states that the population in 2000 for the other districts was 6,471,08, dropping a digit from the actual figure of 6,471,089, and misinterprets the Manhattan percentage trend by stating it decreased in 2000 after increasing in 1900 (when in fact it peaked at 1900 and dropped sharply to 19% in 2000). Furthermore, the overview is weak and confused, failing to clearly capture the overarching shift from Manhattan dominance to suburban growth. These limitations place the response at Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into rudimentary paragraphs, but overall logical progression is frequently disrupted by awkward transitions and run-on sentences. For instance, sentences like 'While other tables illustrate about five district of the city. Which names are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten, Island.' demonstrate severe fragmentation and incorrect punctuation. Cohesive devices are used in a mechanical or repetitive manner, such as starting multiple sentences with 'In 1800' or 'While on the other districts'. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion is weak. This warrants a band score of 5.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, relying heavily on words like 'population', 'districts', 'increased', and 'decreased'. There is little evidence of less common lexical items, and word choices are often unnatural or imprecise, such as 'illustrate about' instead of 'illustrate', and 'Population was not much enough' instead of 'population was relatively low'. Additionally, there are awkward phrasing choices like 'Which names are...'. While the meaning is generally decipherable, the limited range and frequent lexical awkwardness restrict the score to a Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The grammatical range is limited, consisting primarily of simple sentences and flawed attempts at complex structures. There are numerous grammatical errors throughout the text, including fragment sentences ('Which names are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten, Island.'), missing articles, incorrect prepositions ('in district Manhattan', 'on the other district'), and tense inconsistencies ('In the fist table shows'). Punctuation errors are also prominent, such as placing full stops before relative clauses. Because errors are frequent and cause noticeable difficulty for the reader, this performance aligns with Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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