Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-06
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)
From 1800 to 2000, the first table shows the changes in the population of New York City. And the second table describes the changes of five districts.
With the time passes, the population increases every century. In 1800 the population was around 79,216 and then it changes in the next century with a difference of 3,357,986 till 1900. In 2000 the population grows with a large number of 8,009,185. We can see the change in all the years how population grows by big margins.
In comparison of all the five districts, Manhattan is the only district which has the larger number of population among all the others districts but the growth slows down in 2000.
Manhattan comes on the top with highest growth rate in the early 1800 but all the other districts had a ratio of 81% of increased.
New york city is the most populated above all.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response addresses the task only partially and falls slightly short of the minimum 150-word requirement, totaling 149 words. While the student attempts to summarise the data, the coverage is incomplete and features a tendency to present isolated numbers rather than a coherent overview of main trends. For instance, the mention that 'Manhattan comes on the top with highest growth rate' is followed by a confusing and inaccurate statistical claim that 'all the other districts had a ratio of 81% of increased', misinterpreting the percentage data provided in the visual prompt. To move to a higher band, the response must fully meet the word count, present a clear, accurate overview of the main trends across all districts without mathematical confusion, and properly support comparisons using the data.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5
There is some basic organisation with a clear introduction and separate paragraphs, but the overall progression of ideas lacks logical flow. Cohesive devices are used rather mechanically and repetitively, such as the frequent reliance on 'And', 'Then', and 'In 1800... In 2000'. Referencing within and between sentences is also occasionally unclear, particularly in the final paragraph where the link between Manhattan and the other districts becomes muddled. Paragraphing is present, but the structural grouping of information is weak. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to build clearer logical links between sentences, ensure referencing is precise, and sequence the data points so that the comparison of districts follows a coherent, structured argument rather than isolated statements.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The student attempts some topic-specific terms such as 'population', 'districts', and 'growth rate', but these are accompanied by noticeable awkwardness in word choice and collocation, such as 'with the time passes' and 'grows with a large number of'. There are also phrasing issues like 'comes on the top' instead of 'ranked highest'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they restrict the precision of the response. To progress, the writer should build a wider and more flexible range of vocabulary, incorporating more sophisticated phrasing to describe statistical changes and trends accurately and naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer uses a very limited range of sentence structures, relying primarily on simple sentences alongside a few awkward attempts at complex forms that turn out faulty. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, including tense inconsistencies ('the population was... and then it changes... the population grows') and missing articles or preposition errors ('in comparison of all the five districts'). These errors occur frequently and occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To move up to the next band, the student needs to demonstrate better control over verb tense consistency, eliminate basic grammatical errors, and successfully incorporate a wider variety of accurate complex sentence structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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