Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 the changes in the overall population of New York city between 1800 and 2000. The second and third tables elaborate changes in the poplulation of the city's five districts Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island throughout the same period.

overall, year 2000 accounted for the largest proportion of population of the whole New York City, while year 1800 recorded the smallest share. The M

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The opening identifies the subject and time span, and the overview attempts to compare the endpoints. However, the overview is inaccurate: 2000 had the largest total population, not the largest “proportion,” while 1800 had the smallest total, not the smallest share. The response gives no population figures and does not report the key district pattern: Manhattan’s population rose to 1900 and then fell, while the other districts grew substantially and made up 81% of the total by 2000. The response is also far below the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. To improve, include a clear overview and select figures that support the main comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response begins in a sensible order by introducing the overall table and then the district tables, followed by an overview signalled with “overall.” This gives the short text a basic organisational framework. However, there is no developed progression from the overview to specific comparisons, and the final fragment, “The M,” leaves the response unfinished and disrupts cohesion. The overview’s reference to “proportion” also makes the comparison unclear because the figures describe total population. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and key details, and connect the figures with clear comparisons, such as Manhattan’s decline after 1900 versus growth in the other districts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

There is some useful task-related vocabulary, including “overall population,” “changes,” “districts,” and “proportion,” and the writer attempts to paraphrase the prompt rather than simply repeat it. However, the range is limited because the response contains almost no description of trends or comparisons. “Elaborate changes” is an awkward collocation for describing what tables show, and “largest proportion” is imprecise when referring to the city’s total population. There is also a spelling error in “poplulation.” Use precise terms such as “total population,” “accounted for,” “increased,” and “declined,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response shows some control of basic sentence structures, including a complex opening sentence with “between 1800 and 2000” and a second sentence that identifies the districts. The meaning of these sentences is generally understandable. However, the range is narrow, with no developed comparisons or varied sentence patterns, and the overview contains awkward article use in “year 2000” and “year 1800.” The final fragment, “The M,” is incomplete and prevents the response from ending as a complete sentence. Practise forming complete comparative sentences, for example, “By 2000, the other districts accounted for a much larger share of the city’s population.”

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