Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-27
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)
There are three tables present which gives us information about the total number of individuals living in New York city in between the time period of 200 years
Initial table depicts only the population of New York city. In the year 1800 the number of peoples are 79216. In addition to this there is a huge increase in the population of year 1900. On the other hand the year 20 century the significant incline in the population occurs.
Furthermore, the second table demonstrates the population of Manhattan state contributes about 76% of the total population of the New York city in 1800. While in 1900 and 2000, the percentage is 54% and 19%.
Beside Manhattan, the other four districts are Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island contributes about the 24% in the year 1800. In 1900 the percentage increases to 46% while in year 2000 the percentage reached to its highest value which is 81%.
It is concluded that initially the growth in Manhattan in greater as the time passes the percentage is reduced while on the other hand the percentage is low but as the time progress the percentage take a huge incline.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to address all parts of the prompt by looking at the overall population figures and the breakdown between Manhattan and the other districts across the years 1800, 1900, and 2000. However, there are some inaccuracies and vague descriptions in reporting the data. For instance, the writer states that in 1800 the number of 'peoples are 79216' and mentions that 'the year 20 century the significant incline in the population occurs' without precise figures. Furthermore, referring to Manhattan as 'Manhattan state' is factually incorrect. The overview at the end attempts to capture the main trends—that Manhattan's share decreased while other districts increased—but the execution lacks precision and fully developed data selection.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, attempting a logical progression from the overall population to individual district breakdowns, followed by a concluding summary. However, the cohesive devices used are often mechanical, awkward, or inaccurate, such as 'On the other hand the year 20 century' and 'Beside Manhattan'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall flow is hindered by repetitive phrasing and poor transitions between sentences. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal logical links within paragraphs frequently break down, resulting in a choppy and disjointed reading experience.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
The vocabulary used is very basic and limited, with noticeable word choice and collocation errors throughout the response. Examples include 'the number of peoples are', 'the year 20 century', 'Manhattan state', and 'the percentage take a huge incline'. There are also frequent spelling and grammatical word-form issues, such as 'in greater as the time passes' instead of 'greater as time passes'. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the general topic of population change, it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The text displays a very limited range of grammatical structures. Most sentences are simple or attempt complex structures that are faulty, leading to frequent errors in tense, preposition use, and sentence construction. Examples of errors include 'There are three tables present which gives us', 'the number of peoples are 79216', and 'the growth in Manhattan in greater as the time passes the percentage is reduced'. Punctuation and article usage are also weak. These frequent errors cause noticeable strain and difficulty for the reader.
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