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 following tables illustrate some alterations in the overall population of New York City records through the years from ([redacted phone]) along with other tables demonstrating shifts in population of five different regions of the following city over the same period of time.At a glance,by 2000,NYC has seen the highest population and Manhattan has faced the lowest percentage of population.

Overall,it is evident that,the first table shows the lowest number of residents in 18th century, whereas,by the year 2000,the city was recorded with the highest residents.Furthermore,in 19th century, the population was in a mid-level position regarding population growth rather than other two centuries.Nevertheless,the second table displays the population growth in Manhattan where the highest amount of city-dwellers happens to be in the year 1800 and the lowest in 2000.However,the 3rd table shows other districts such as Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens and Staten Island has been recorded with the highest number of population in 20th century unlike other districts.

In conclusion,rather than other districts of NYC recordings Manhattan and the main city centre has seen the highest number of residents in the 18th century and the lowest in 20th.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad pattern that New York City’s population was greatest in 2000 and that Manhattan’s share fell, while the other districts’ share rose. However, the response only partially reports the tables: it gives no figures and does not clearly compare the city’s substantial growth across all three dates. Some claims are inaccurate or unclear. Manhattan did not have its highest population in 1800; its population peaked in 1900 at 1,850,093, then declined by 2000. The statement that Manhattan and the “main city centre” had the highest number of residents in 1800 also confuses Manhattan’s share with the city’s total population. Select key figures and state the contrasting trends precisely to make the summary more complete and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an opening, an overview-like section and a concluding paragraph, and it uses linking expressions such as “Overall,” “Furthermore” and “However.” These give some visible organisation. However, the progression is difficult to follow because several ideas are repeated or placed together without clear relationships. For example, the overview says Manhattan had the lowest percentage in 2000, while the next paragraph discusses its population without distinguishing population totals from percentages. The final “In conclusion” repeats earlier claims rather than adding a clear synthesis. Organise the body around the city-wide trend and then the contrasting district trends, and use references and connectors only where they clarify the comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of formal and topic-related vocabulary, including “overall population,” “districts,” “percentage” and “population growth.” This shows some awareness of the language needed for a data summary. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise, such as “alterations in the overall population,” “highest residents,” “mid-level position regarding population growth” and “recordings.” These expressions make the intended comparisons harder to understand. Use standard collocations for describing tables and trends, such as “population increased,” “accounted for a share,” and “reached a peak.” Also avoid using “city-dwellers” where a straightforward reference to population is clearer. More precise, natural wording would improve clarity without requiring unnecessarily elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences and use subordinate clauses, for example “whereas, by the year 2000…” and “unlike other districts.” However, complex structures are often not controlled, and errors recur in sentence boundaries, agreement, articles and verb forms. The opening runs two sentences together at “period of time.At a glance,” and the clause “other districts … has been recorded” has a plural subject with a singular verb. “The population was in a mid-level position” is also an awkwardly constructed clause, while “Manhattan and the main city centre has seen” has a subject–verb agreement error. Use shorter, clearly punctuated sentences first, then add accurate comparisons with “while” or “whereas.” Check agreement and tense consistently.

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