Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29
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 chart represents changes in overall population of New York City during the period [redacted phone].The next two charts illustrate changes in population of the five city districts throughout the same period.
Overall, in 1800 to 2000 population increased rapidly according to the table the highest rate of population in the year 2000 was almost 8,009,185. However during the year 1900 population rate increased than the year 1800. Population rate was the lowest point at the period of 1800. Additionally, in first table New York City Mantattan had highest percentage rate of total population.In 1800, Manhattan had highest percentage of total population afterward in 1900 and then the lowest percentage rate of total population during the year 2000. Furthermore, the other districts Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island had highest rate of total population which was almost 81% in 2000. During the period [redacted phone] the percentage of total population was 24% and 46% respectiviely. In contrast, Manhattan had highest percentage of total population in New York City.
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 candidate attempts to cover the main features of the visual data, noting the overall population growth from 1800 to 2000 and mentioning the contrast between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the response contains several inaccuracies and contradictory statements regarding the data. For instance, the phrase 'highest rate of population in the year 2000 was almost 8,009,185' is confused, and the conclusion at the end that 'Manhattan had highest percentage of total population' directly contradicts the provided statistics showing Manhattan dropped to 19% in 2000 while other districts rose to 81%. Furthermore, key data points are under-analyzed. This puts the response in Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response features an introductory paragraph followed by a single block of body text, lacking clear paragraph breaks for distinct ideas. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Overall', 'However', 'Additionally', 'In contrast'), their application is sometimes repetitive or confusing, such as repeating the point about Manhattan multiple times. There is a lack of smooth progression, and the mechanical linking makes the text difficult to follow at times. This corresponds to Band 5.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is repetitive and basic, relying heavily on terms like 'population', 'rate', 'percentage', and 'district'. There are noticeable awkward word choices and phrasing, such as 'population rate increased than the year 1800' and 'highest rate of population in the year 2000'. Less common lexical items are rarely attempted accurately, though the range is minimally adequate to convey the basic topic. This meets the criteria for Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The candidate attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but many sentences contain grammatical errors or awkward phrasing (e.g., 'population increased rapidly according to the table the highest rate...', 'respectiviely' with a spelling error, and missing articles like 'in first table'). Punctuation is also problematic, including run-on sentences and missing spaces after periods. While meaning is usually retrievable, frequent errors cause difficulty. This reflects a Band 5 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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