Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-06

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 three tables present data on the changes of population from 1800 to 2000. Where the population in 1800 in given cities was the lowest and the population in 2000 was the highest.

The first table provide the information about New York City, while the second and third table shows the information about Manhattan and other district, respectively.

To begin with, all five district in New York City the highest population was in the year 2000, while the lowest population was in the year 1800. Overall, the population of Manhattan was increased in the year 1800, and was stable in the year in 1900, then decreased in 2000. Furthermore, in other district like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island the population peaked in the year 2000 and was lowest in the year 1800

It is clear from my perspective, that the figures varied across the three tables, with some categories showing an increase while other remained stable or declined.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad pattern that New York City’s population was lowest in 1800 and highest in 2000, and you note that Manhattan’s share fell while the other districts’ population grew. However, the response only partially reports the tables: it gives no population figures and does not clearly compare the city’s overall growth with the contrasting changes in Manhattan and the other districts. The statement that Manhattan’s population “was stable” in 1900 is inaccurate; it rose substantially from 60,515 in 1800 to 1,850,093 in 1900, before falling to 1,538,096 in 2000. Develop a clear overview around these key contrasts and support it with selected figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has some organisation, moving from an introduction to comments on the city and then the districts. Basic linking expressions such as “To begin with” and “Furthermore” help signal additions. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the opening repeats the lowest/highest point, and the final sentence about figures varying across the tables adds little after the earlier summary. The distinction between the city-wide table and the district data could also be made clearer through separate, focused paragraphs. Some linking is mechanical, and the reference to “the year” is repeated. Group the overview and comparisons logically, then use each body paragraph to report a distinct set of data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant terms, including “population,” “district,” “increased,” “decreased,” and “peaked,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the vocabulary is limited and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “changes of population,” “given cities,” and “other district.” Repetition of “population” and “year” also makes the description less precise. For this table task, use a wider set of accurate reporting expressions, including language for totals, proportions, and comparisons. For example, distinguish a population increase from a rise in a district’s share of the city total; Manhattan’s population and its percentage of the total did not follow the same trend throughout.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a few longer structures, including a sentence beginning “while” and a sequence joined by “then,” but most sentences rely on simple patterns and errors are frequent. Examples include “The first table provide” and “the second and third table shows,” where subject–verb agreement is incorrect, and “the population of Manhattan was increased,” which uses an unsuitable passive form. The opening fragment, “Where the population in 1800…,” is also not a complete sentence. These problems sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then add controlled comparisons using “whereas” or “while,” checking agreement, tense, and sentence completeness.

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

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