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 first table below deplicts changes in the total population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The second and third tables illustrates variation in the total number of the five districts in percentage over the same period. Overall, Manhattan had the highest percentage at the initial period. Whereas, other districts accounted for the highest figure at the end of the period.
New York, started off at 79,216 population in 1800. Thereafter. they saw a significant increase throughout the rest of the period. In addition, Manhattan recorded a total figure of 76%,
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, containing only 93 words. Consequently, the description of the data is severely truncated. While the student attempts an overview and mentions some initial data points such as 'Manhattan had the highest percentage at the initial period' and the starting population of New York, the incomplete nature of the response means that major trends and comparisons between the five districts over the two-century span are largely missing. This results in a partial treatment of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The text is organized into brief paragraphs and attempts basic cohesive devices such as 'Overall' and 'Whereas'. However, the abrupt ending of the text mid-sentence ('In addition, Manhattan recorded a total figure of 76%,') severely disrupts the overall progression and logical flow. Paragraphing is initiated but not sustained due to the under-length nature of the response. Referencing and logical sequencing are hindered by the lack of development.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive, though functional for simple reporting. The student attempts some task-specific vocabulary such as 'deplicts' (spelled incorrectly as depicts) and 'variation', along with percentages and figures. However, there are noticeable lexical errors, such as 'deplicts' instead of 'depicts' and awkward phrasing like 'total number of the five districts in percentage', which reflect a limited and developing lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writing exhibits a mix of simple sentence structures with an attempt at complex forms, such as the concessive clause introduced by 'Whereas'. However, there are significant grammatical and punctuation errors, including spelling ('deplicts'), incorrect verb forms ('tables illustrates'), fragment sentences ('Thereafter. they saw...'), and punctuation misuse. Additionally, the response ends abruptly with a comma, leaving a sentence unfinished.
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