Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-09

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 chart shows the population rate of New york with the passage of time .In 1800 there was only 79,216 people in all five districs of America .whereas in 1900 population increase up to 3,437,202 people .However in 2000 bring a big difference in population which comperises upto 8,009,185 people in all five districts.Now lets talk about the island Mantattanwhich is big city of state over the same period of time as compared to new york in 1800 there was 60,515there increasing in populatyion about 60,515 persons which is almost 76% of toatl population,whereas, in 1900 century there was 1,850,093 people which are about 54% of total population .however,in 2000 ,there was 1,538,096 population increase and 19% of total percentage .Other districts like brooklyn ,bronx ,queens,staten island in 1800 century 18,701 people increase which is about 24% of total population.However, in 1900 there was 1,587,107 people overall increase and which was about 46% of total population .In 2000 century ,6,471,089 people increase in overall population which is 81% of total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You report the main population figures for all three years and compare Manhattan with the combined other districts, so the response is relevant and includes several key details. The figures show the city growing from 79,216 to 8,009,185, while Manhattan’s share falls from 76% to 19% and the other districts’ share rises to 81%. However, there is no clear overview drawing these trends together, and some descriptions are inaccurate or unclear: Manhattan’s population did not increase in 2000; it fell from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096. The 1900 figure for the other districts is also given as 1,587,107 rather than 1,587,109. A concise overview and more precise reporting of change would make the key features clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly understandable order: it first describes the city total, then Manhattan, and finally the other districts. Time markers such as “in 1800,” “in 1900,” and “in 2000” help readers follow the data. However, the writing is presented as one long paragraph, with no clear overview or paragraph breaks to distinguish the main trends from supporting figures. Linking words such as “whereas” and “however” are repeated and sometimes do not express the relationship accurately. For example, “However in 2000” does not clearly connect the city’s total growth to the preceding comparison. Group the information into a brief overview and focused detail paragraphs, and use transitions only where they clarify the comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing numerical information, including “population,” “total population,” “percentage,” and “districts.” This gives the reader a basic understanding of the subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the report less precise, such as “population rate” for population, “increase” when describing Manhattan’s decline, and “big difference” instead of a more exact description of growth. There are also spelling errors in words such as “districs,” “comperises,” and “toatl,” alongside inconsistent place-name spelling. Build a more accurate set of data-reporting expressions, especially verbs for rises, falls, and shares, and check spelling of names and key terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas using clauses and contrast markers, but sentence structures are often incomplete or difficult to follow. For example, “whereas in 1900 population increase up to 3,437,202 people” lacks a correctly formed verb, while “in 2000 bring a big difference” has no clear subject or tense. Several sentences run together without reliable punctuation, as in the opening sequence and the long description of Manhattan. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and plural forms, such as “there was only 79,216 people.” These errors sometimes make the intended comparisons unclear. Practise forming complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use past-tense forms consistently when reporting the historical figures.

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