Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28
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 tables illustrate the changes in the total popoluation of the five districts cities of New York between 1800 to 2000.
Overall, it is clear that New York City has accounted for the most highest figure over the period between all five district cities. As percentage of total populations in states has increased by the following year. The population ratio of other districts has decreased in the following year.
In 2000, the population ratio has significantly risen with proportion of 81% in the other districts and 76% in Manhattan. On the other hand, populations has experienced the lowest percentage with approximately 24%. In Brooklyn , Bronx, Queens , Staten Island has made up dramatic rise in 1900 with 46%.
The figure for Manhattan has recorded the highest percentage in 1800 with 76%, and in 1900 with 56% respectively. While in 2000, Manhattan has considerably fall from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096 with the percentage 19.
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 response attempts to cover the main features of the tables, noting the overall population growth and the shifting distribution between Manhattan and the other districts. However, there are significant inaccuracies in reporting the data. For instance, the text claims Manhattan was '56%' in 1900 when the table shows '54%', and states that in 2000 Manhattan 'considerably fall from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096' (misinterpreting the change from 1900 to 2000 as a direct single drop). Furthermore, some sentences contain contradictory or confusing interpretations of the percentages. Because key figures are misreported or misread, the task response is limited to a Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is structured into paragraphs, starting with an introduction and attempting an overview, followed by body details. However, the logical progression is frequently disrupted by confusing transitions and unclear referencing. Phrases like 'As percentage of total populations in states has increased by the following year' lack clarity and context. Additionally, the linking devices used between sentences (such as 'On the other hand') do not accurately reflect the contrast or relationship between the data points. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion is faulty and mechanical, placing this response at Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for basic description, but it suffers from noticeable errors in word choice, form, and spelling. For example, 'popoluation' is misspelled, 'district cities' is awkward, and verbs are frequently misused (e.g., 'populations has experienced the lowest percentage' and 'made up dramatic rise'). While the writer attempts some less common vocabulary items, inaccurate collocations and lexical errors cause some confusion for the reader, aligning the lexical resource with Band 5.0 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but attempts at complexity often result in grammatical errors. There are frequent issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, such as 'populations has experienced' and 'Manhattan has considerably fall'. Punctuation and article usage are also problematic in places (e.g., 'with the percentage 19'). These persistent errors can cause difficulty for the reader and reflect the characteristics of a Band 5.0 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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