Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-07
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 table shows changes in the population of New york and across its district from [redacted phone].
From the [redacted phone] the city across the districts increased massively and kept soaring even to the 2000 with Manhattan taking the highest percentage
in the year 1800 at 76% and the lowest by 2000 at 19%.
On the other hand, Other districts soared in the year 2000 by 81% against manhattan's 19% in the same year.
With the increase and decrease rate experienced in the year 1800 and 2000, 1900 made a little difference as its total population which was 54% in manhattan dropped to 46% in other district.
According to the first table which the population of new york was more in 2000 and lesser in 1800 and this was greatly influenced by other district as it makes up 81% of its population in year 2000 and 24% in 1800 i.e there was an influx of people from 1900 to 2000 in other district.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the broad rise in New York City’s population and the major shift from Manhattan to the other districts: Manhattan’s share falls from 76% to 19%, while the other districts’ share rises to 81% by 2000. These are relevant central features. However, the overview is incomplete and some comparisons are unclear or inaccurate. The response does not report the city’s total population figures (79,216, 3,437,202 and 8,009,185), and it says Manhattan had the “highest percentage” in 1800 without clearly comparing the districts across all three years. The claim that 1900 “made a little difference” is misleading: the shares were relatively close, but the population totals were already very large. Select the main figures and describe the overall changes more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5
The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an opening statement to comparisons and a concluding comment. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the paragraphs do not clearly organise the overall city trend separately from the district comparison. Linking phrases such as “On the other hand” and “With the increase and decrease rate” do not always show the relationship between the ideas that follow, and the final paragraph repeats the 2000 and 1800 shares rather than adding a clear summary. Some references, including “its total population” and “other district,” are also unclear. Group the information into a concise overview and a paragraph comparing the district shares, using explicit links such as “By contrast” only where the data support them.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant vocabulary for describing change, including “increased massively,” “soaring,” “dropped,” and “influx,” and the reader can generally understand the intended comparisons. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or repetitive. “Soared” is used for percentage shares without specifying the change, while “made a little difference” does not accurately describe the 1900 figures. Phrases such as “increase and decrease rate experienced” are awkward, and “the city across the districts” is not a natural way to describe the data. Aim for precise reporting language such as “accounted for,” “rose from…to,” and “declined,” and avoid repeating “soared” when a neutral verb would be clearer.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the main comparisons can usually be understood. However, control is inconsistent, particularly in longer sentences. For example, “According to the first table which the population of new york was more in 2000” is incomplete and lacks a clear grammatical connection between the table and the claim. In “With the increase and decrease rate experienced in the year 1800 and 2000, 1900 made a little difference,” the opening phrase does not connect logically to the main clause. There are also errors in articles, number and sentence boundaries, as in “other district” and the run-on final sentence. Use shorter, complete sentences and check that each introductory phrase has a clear subject and verb.
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