Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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)

first table reveal the changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. ontheother hand thesecond andthird tables illustrate statistical changes in the population of the five districts of the city during the same period.

the first table illustrate that the population of New York City ( all five districts) where it show that the population of all districts in the year 1800 was 79,216 while in 2000 it reaches to 8,009,185.

In second table statistical data shows that the population manhattan in 1800 was 60,515 while in 2000 it reaches to 1,538,096. In percentage graph the data suggest that ratio declline as compare to 1800 record. in starting it was 76% after that it reaching to 54% finally in 2000 it reached to 19%.

In table third other districts like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island Compratively its population increases by 81% in 2000, as per data collect in 1800 it was 18,701( Total population) but in 2000 it reached 6,471,089.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad pattern that New York City’s population grew substantially and report several relevant figures, including the 1800 and 2000 totals and Manhattan’s changing share. However, the response only partially covers the data: it omits the 1900 and 2000 city totals from the comparison, and does not report the other districts’ 1900 figures or their 24% and 46% shares. The statement that the other districts’ population “increases by 81%” confuses their 2000 share of the city with their population growth. There is also no clear overview of the main contrast: Manhattan’s population peaked in 1900 and then fell, while the other districts grew strongly. The response is 141 words, below the 150-word minimum; the 24 words copied from the prompt are not counted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the tables, discusses the city total, then Manhattan and the other districts. This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and phrases such as “while” and “after that” attempt to connect comparisons. However, there is no distinct overview paragraph, and the progression between the tables is mostly a list of separate observations rather than a clear summary of the main trends. Linking is sometimes inaccurate or awkward, as in “In percentage graph” and “as per data collect,” while repeated references to “the table” do little to show relationships between the figures. Group the information into an introduction, overview, and two focused detail paragraphs, using comparisons to connect the data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “ratio,” and “districts,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning unclear. For example, “increases by 81%” incorrectly describes a share as population growth, and “percentage graph” does not accurately name the table’s data. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “declline,” “Compratively,” and “data collect.” Aim for precise terms such as “accounted for,” “population share,” and “rose to,” and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine information using clauses with “while” and “that,” but sentence structures are limited and errors occur frequently. For example, “first table reveal” lacks subject–verb agreement and an article, while “the population … where it show” has an incorrect relative construction and verb form. The sentence beginning “In second table statistical data shows” also needs clearer article use and sentence structure. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, with sentence openings such as “ontheother hand” run together and several sentences lacking appropriate commas or full stops. These errors sometimes make the relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then add controlled comparisons using “whereas” or “while.”

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