Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-10

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 below illustrates differences in the number of population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The second and third tables illustrate differences in the population of the five towns over the same time.

It’s give as information about the amount of the population during several years in a different places of the New York City .

In the 1800 year, New York city had the highest level population it was 79,216 and the manhattan was 76 percent at 1800 year, but the less amount population was 24 percent at the five district in the 1800 year.

But in the 1900 year the amount of the population in York city become 3,437,202 and the city of Manhattan and other five districts the had less differences, the manhattan city was 54 percent and five districts was 46 percent population.

In the other hand the population become less in New York City and manhattan during the 2000, In New York the amount of the population was 8,009,185 and manhattan was 19 percent but in other five districts the amount of the people’s become in highest level it was 81 percent in 2000 year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the overall period and report several relevant figures, including the city’s population in 1800, 1900 and 2000 and the changing shares of Manhattan and the other districts. The contrast between Manhattan’s falling share and the other districts’ rising share is a useful feature. However, the response only partially summarises the tables: it gives no overview clearly stating that the city’s total population rose throughout, and it does not report the actual population figures for Manhattan or the other districts. Some comparisons are also inaccurate or unclear: 79,216 is the city’s total in 1800, not its highest population, and the population did not become lower in 2000. Select the main trends accurately and distinguish totals from percentages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has some organisation: it moves through 1800, 1900 and 2000, and words such as “But” and “In the other hand” attempt to connect comparisons. However, there is no clear overall progression from an overview to supporting details, and the opening repeats the task description rather than establishing the main trends. Connections are sometimes inaccurate or difficult to follow, particularly “the city of Manhattan and other five districts the had less differences.” The final paragraph also combines the city total with district shares without clearly separating what each figure describes. Use a brief overview followed by logically grouped comparisons, and make each linking phrase express the relationship accurately.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the general topic, with relevant terms such as “population,” “percent,” “highest level” and “districts.” However, the range is limited and several repeated or unnatural expressions make the report less precise. For example, “number of population” and “amount of the population” are not natural collocations; use “population” or “population size.” “Five towns” is also inaccurate for the boroughs/districts, while “the people’s become in highest level” is difficult to understand. There is repetition of “amount” and “population” rather than varied, accurate reporting language. Build a small set of precise terms for totals, proportions, increases and decreases, and use them consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to form longer sentences using contrast, for example, “In the 1800 year … but …,” and the reader can generally identify the years and figures being discussed. However, the range is limited, and complex sentences are often faulty. Errors include “It’s give as information,” “the amount … become,” and “the city of Manhattan and other five districts the had less differences.” There are also recurring problems with articles, word order and sentence boundaries, as in “In the 1800 year” and the comma splice in the final paragraph. These errors sometimes make relationships between figures unclear. Practise accurate simple comparison sentences first, then combine them with controlled clauses using “while” or “whereas.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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