Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-12

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 illustrates changes in total population of New York City over the period from 1800 and 2000, and the second and third diagrams demostrate that changes in the public numbers of the five districts over the same period.

Overall, the population of New York accounted significantly increase in number over the period, the highest share recording in 2000. In contrast, Manhattan recording decreaced of population toward the end of the period. However, other districts showed general raised of the number of population.

The first table shows, the New York city accounted the highest proportion in 2000 around 8,009,185 of total popualtion and about 79,216 in 18000.

Manhattan saw the highest percentage at 76% in 1800 and the lowest proportion anout 19

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad trends: New York City’s total population rose substantially, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts’ share increased. The figures given for the city in 1800 and 2000 and Manhattan’s 1800 share are accurate. However, the response is incomplete: it stops while reporting Manhattan’s 2000 share, omits the 1900 comparison and the population figures for the districts, and does not explain that Manhattan’s population itself peaked in 1900 before declining. The overview is also imprecise, and the phrase “highest proportion” is incorrectly applied to the city’s total population. At 123 words, the response is below the required 150 words. Develop the key comparisons and complete the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic structure, with an introduction, an overview and some detail, and the reader can follow the general direction of the response. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph ends mid-comparison (“the lowest proportion anout 19”), leaving the account unfinished. The overview and detail paragraphs do not clearly organise the information into meaningful comparisons, such as the city’s overall growth followed by the changing balance between Manhattan and the other districts. Linking is also limited, and “However” does not establish a clear contrast with the preceding point. Use complete paragraphs, group related figures together, and connect comparisons explicitly so the report develops logically from overview to supporting details.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “highest,” and “lowest,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, word-form and spelling errors make parts difficult to interpret: “public numbers” is not an appropriate description of district populations, “general raised” is unnatural, and “popualtion,” “demostrate,” and “decreaced” are misspelled. “Accounted” is also used awkwardly in “New York city accounted the highest proportion.” Choose precise terms such as “population,” “increased,” and “represented,” and check spelling and collocations. More varied language for describing rises, falls and shares would make the comparisons clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, including an overview beginning “Overall,” but control is inconsistent. Several sentences have faulty verb forms or missing grammatical elements: “population … accounted significantly increase” needs a correctly formed verb phrase, while “Manhattan recording decreaced” lacks a finite verb. The opening also uses the incorrect pattern “from 1800 and 2000” rather than “from 1800 to 2000.” In “The first table shows, the New York city accounted…,” the comma disrupts the sentence and the clause structure is unclear. These recurring errors sometimes make the intended relationships difficult to follow. Practise complete subject–verb clauses and accurate past-tense reporting, then proofread punctuation and articles.

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