Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-05
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 illustrates the five districts of New York City ((Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) based on their changes in the total population and then according to each district's figures, over the span of two-centuries.
Overall, the population of all districts made a significant surge until the last period, whereas Manhattan was found to be the only district which experienced a major decline over the years, although other three districts gained population gradually with the following period.
The total population of New York CIty witnessed a considerable increase throughout the period given. It started-off with the total population of nearly 80 thousand in the 1800, then climbed to almost 34 lacs in 1900. By 2000, the population of the city peaked upto almost triple in figures, to more than 80 lacs.
However, Manhattan's population was found the highest in the earlier century
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, stopping abruptly mid-sentence at 143 words. Furthermore, the task is addressed only partially. While the introduction attempts to outline the scope of the tables, the body paragraphs present an incomplete overview of the data. The student mentions overall trends and the total population figures for New York City, but the report cuts off before fully covering the breakdown of the five districts and making the necessary comparisons between Manhattan and the other regions. To reach a higher level, the response must be completed in full, ensuring all parts of the prompt are addressed with extended supporting details.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
There is some basic organization with an introductory statement and an overall trend paragraph, but the lack of a complete text hinders overall progression. The writer attempts to use cohesive devices such as 'Overall,' 'whereas,' and 'However,' but the abrupt ending disrupts the logical flow and development of information. Paragraphing is initiated properly, yet the essay remains unfinished. For future improvement, ensure that ideas are fully linked from start to finish with a clear conclusion, rather than trailing off, to achieve a smoother and more logical progression throughout the response.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, featuring some attempts at less common phrasing such as 'significant surge' and 'considerable increase.' However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as using 'lacs' (an informal regional term) and 'climbed to almost 34 lacs' instead of standard numerical expressions, as well as 'started-off' with a hyphen. Spelling and word choice are generally sufficient to convey basic meaning, but to achieve a higher band, a wider and more natural range of precise academic vocabulary should be employed without relying on informal or non-standard terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The text displays a limited range of sentence structures, mixing simple forms with some complex attempts that contain notable errors. For instance, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'The tables illustrates' instead of 'illustrate', and 'in the 1800' instead of 'in 1800'. Errors also appear in prepositions and modifiers, such as 'peaked upto almost triple in figures'. While these mistakes do not entirely prevent comprehension, they occur frequently enough to restrict the score at this level. To improve, the writer needs to demonstrate better control over basic grammatical patterns and punctuation.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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