Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-26
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, second and third table illusrates the changes in the population of five districts of New York city ( Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) respectively.
Overall, the first table demonstrates the massive increase in population in all five districts of New York. In the year 1800 its population was 79,216, however, its population increased to 3,437,202, finally, in 2000 the population further increased to 8,009,185.
Second table, shows the population along with total percentages in correspondence to the respective years. Back in Manhattan in year 1800, the percentange was highest that is 76% and the percentage of population declined to 19% in the year 2000.
Third table, displays splendid increase in the population along with their percentages. The highest percentage of population was 81% in the year 2000 which decreased to 46% in the year 1900. The lowest percentage of population was 24% back in the year 1800.
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 address all parts of the prompt by summarizing the tables concerning New York City's population changes from 1800 to 2000. However, the analysis suffers from factual inaccuracies and misinterpretations of the data. For instance, in discussing the third table, the student states that the percentage 'decreased to 46% in the year 1900', whereas the data shows 46% for 1900 and 81% for 2000, leading to a reversed chronological reading of the trend. Additionally, the overview is somewhat simplistic, failing to highlight the key overarching shift from Manhattan to the other districts comprehensively. The response touches upon the main features but lacks the precise data reporting and development expected at higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response attempts a logical structure by introducing the tables in the first paragraph and breaking down the information subsequently. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, and transitions are repetitive and mechanical, relying heavily on phrases like 'The first, second and third table'. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly at times, such as the choppy transitions between sentences in the second paragraph ('In the year 1800 its population was 79,216, however, its population increased...'). Progression is somewhat obscured by confusion in the data reporting, particularly when discussing chronological trends backwards. Overall organisation is minimally adequate for a short response.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for basic communication but lacks range and precision. The student successfully employs terms like 'population', 'districts', and 'percentage', but makes several lexical and spelling errors, such as 'illusrates' instead of 'illustrates' and 'percentange' instead of 'percentage'. Attempts at less common vocabulary are limited, and phrasing tends to be repetitive (e.g., repeatedly using 'population of population'). Word choice is occasionally imprecise, reflecting a restricted lexical repertoire that constrains the depth of the analysis.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The text displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though complex structures are often faulty or awkward. For example, the opening sentence contains a punctuation and agreement flaw: 'The first, second and third table illusrates...'. Run-on sentences and comma splices also occur, such as in the second paragraph: 'In the year 1800 its population was 79,216, however, its population increased to 3,437,202, finally, in 2000 the population further increased to 8,009,185.' Grammatical errors are frequent, but they generally do not completely impede the reader's understanding of the basic numerical values.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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