Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-07

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 mentioned below illustrates the inovation in the total population of New York city from [redacted phone]. The second and third tables demonstrates changes in the population of the five districts of the city.

Overall, the initial table tells us about the New York inhabitants which is 79,216 in 1800 whereas the second matrix ellobrates the community of 60,515 people in 1800 in Manhathan city, third box gives information about the other districts including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island which is approximately 18,701 in early eightheen hundred.

Furthermore, New York city table involves two more entities of year 1900 and 2000 which are approx 3.4 million as well as 8 million, Manhattan matrix contains populace figures of 1900 which are 1,850,093 with the proportion of 76%, whereas early 2000 figures are 1,538,096 accounts for 19%, other districts stat includes people spell in 1900 which is 1,587,109 with 46% as well as starting years of 21 century have figure of 6,471,089 accounts for 81% from overall of total population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the subject and report several relevant figures, including the overall population in 1800 and the district totals in 2000. However, the response does not give a clear overview of the main trends: the city’s population rose sharply, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share grew. There is also a significant data error: Manhattan’s 76% share belongs to 1800, not 1900, when it was 54%. The 1900 and 2000 city totals are only approximated, and the comparison is not clearly explained. The response is 149 words, one word below the required minimum; the 21 words copied from the prompt are not counted. Select the key changes and report them accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from the tables and 1800 figures to later years, and it uses paragraph breaks to separate the opening from the data. However, there is no clear overview paragraph, and the progression is difficult to follow because several figures and comparisons are packed into long sentences. Phrases such as “whereas the second matrix…” and “whereas early 2000 figures…” do not make the relationships between the data sufficiently clear. The repeated references to “table,” “matrix,” and “box” also make the organisation feel list-like rather than analytical. Group the information into a concise overview followed by paragraphs comparing the population totals and district shares.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “illustrates,” “proportion,” and “accounts for,” and the topic is generally recognisable. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing tables: “inovation” does not mean change, “ellobrates” is misspelled and unsuitable here, and “community” and “populace” are awkward substitutes for population. “Entities of year” and “people spell” also make parts of the data difficult to understand. Spelling errors such as “Manhathan” and “eightheen” further reduce precision. Use a smaller set of accurate, conventional terms—such as “population,” “figure,” “share,” and “increased/decreased”—rather than forcing synonyms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt longer sentences with comparisons, using structures such as “whereas” and “which,” but control is inconsistent. For example, “The second and third tables demonstrates” has a subject–verb agreement error, and “Manhattan matrix contains populace figures of 1900 which are…” creates an unclear grammatical relationship between the figures and the clause. Several sentences join multiple pieces of information without clear punctuation, especially the final sentence, making the comparisons hard to process. The opening also shifts between present-tense descriptions and data reporting without a consistent pattern. Practise writing shorter, complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, then combine ideas only when the relationship is straightforward.

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