Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-08

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)

in these tables the provided information is about the changes in the population of new york city in year 1800 to 2000.

in first table we have the information about all five districts of new york. these includes population of 79216, [redacted phone] and [redacted phone] in years of 1800, 1900 and 2000 respectively.

now we move on the detailed information about the population of five districts of new york. first we discuss the population changes in manhattan. in manhattan the population is 60515, [redacted phone], and [redacted phone] from year 1800, 1900 and 2000 respectively. the increase or the decrease in population in every year is given as in 1800 the increase in population is 76% while in 1900 there in 54% and in 2000 there is decraese in population of 19%.

in other four districts which includes brooklyn, bronx,queens and state island have population of 18701, [redacted phone] and [redacted phone] in year from 1800 to 2000 respectively. the incraese and decrease in value of population in year 1800 is 24% increase while in 1900 it is 46% increase and in 2000 the increase in population in 81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the subject and report figures for the overall population and both population groups, so the response is relevant to the tables. However, the overview is missing: you do not clearly summarise the main pattern that New York’s total population rose sharply, while Manhattan’s population share fell and the other districts’ share grew. There is also a significant factual error: the 2000 city total is given as 800,185 rather than 8,009,185. The percentages are described as increases or decreases, although they show each group’s share of the city’s total population. Manhattan’s population itself fell between 1900 and 2000, but this distinction is not clearly explained. Select the key trends accurately and compare the groups directly to make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the tables, discusses the total, then moves to Manhattan and the other districts. Phrases such as “first we discuss” and “now we move on” help signal this order, and the information is separated into paragraphs. However, the progression is mostly a list of figures rather than a connected summary of the main trends. Repeated wording such as “population,” “increase,” and “in year” makes the links mechanical, while “the increase or the decrease in population in every year” does not clearly connect the percentages to population shares. Improve cohesion by grouping related comparisons and using clear references, for example, contrasting Manhattan’s declining share with the other districts’ rising share.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant basic terms, including “population,” “districts,” “increase,” and “decrease,” and the reader can generally identify the topic of each sentence. However, the vocabulary is repetitive and some choices do not accurately describe the data. In particular, “increase in population” is used for percentages that represent shares of the total, not increases in population. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “decraese,” “incraese,” and “state island” (the district is Staten Island). Use more precise reporting language and vary it where appropriate, such as “accounted for,” “represented,” “rose,” and “declined.” This would make the comparisons clearer and more suitable for an academic data summary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most sentences use simple structures, and the sequence of years and figures is usually understandable. You also attempt longer constructions, such as “in other four districts which includes…,” but these are often faulty. For example, “these includes population” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and “in 1900 there in 54%” is missing a suitable verb. The opening phrase “in year 1800 to 2000” also needs a more accurate preposition and article, such as “from 1800 to 2000.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation are inconsistent, and several clauses are joined awkwardly. Practise accurate comparative sentence patterns, for example: “Manhattan’s population rose to… in 1900, then fell to… by 2000.”

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