Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-11

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)

There are three tables. The first table shows changes in the overall population of New York City from 1800 to 2000, while the second and third tables present the changes in the population of the five districts of the city, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, over the same period.

In the first table, the data give information about New York City districts. In 1800, the population was 79,216. Then, the population was 3,437,202 in 1900, and in 2000, the population was 8,009,185.

In the second table for Manhattan population, there was a 76% and 60,515 ratio of residents in 1800. Then, after 1,850,093 residents, it was 54% of the population in 1900. Afterwards, in the year 2000, there were 1,538,096 individuals, and it was 19% of the population.

The table shows other districts, including Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. The population in 2000 had a significantly higher ratio, which was 6,471,089 inhabitants, and it was 81%. The population in 1900 was 1,587,109, and it was 46%. In 1800, the population was 18,701, and it was 24%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You report the main figures for all three years and correctly show the broad shift from Manhattan’s 76% share in 1800 to 19% in 2000, while the other districts’ share rises to 81%. However, the response mainly lists data rather than summarising the key features. It lacks a clear overview of the city’s strong overall growth and the contrasting change in Manhattan’s population, which rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling by 2000 as the other districts expanded. The opening also says the district tables cover five districts but names only four, omitting the Bronx. Some descriptions, such as “a 76% and 60,515 ratio,” make the relationship between the figures unclear. Add a concise overview and make the comparisons explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction followed by paragraphs on the total population, Manhattan, and the other districts. Time markers such as “In 1800,” “Then,” and “Afterwards” help readers follow the sequence of years. However, the progression is mostly a series of separate data statements, with little comparison linking the tables or explaining how the population distribution changed. Some connections are also awkward: “Then, after 1,850,093 residents, it was 54%” does not clearly connect the population figure to its share. The opening repeats the task description, and the final paragraph reports the years in reverse order. Grouping the figures by major trend and using clearer comparative links would make the organisation more purposeful.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for describing population data, including “overall population,” “residents,” “inhabitants,” and “ratio.” This gives the response enough basic language to communicate most figures. However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural for this task: “a 76% and 60,515 ratio” does not clearly express a population and its percentage share, while “the population ... had a significantly higher ratio” is vague. “The data give information about New York City districts” is also repetitive and does not accurately describe the total-population table. Use precise terms such as “population,” “share,” and “accounted for,” and vary language to describe increases, declines, and changes in proportion. This would make the comparisons clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You produce several complete sentences and use some subordinate structures, for example, “while the second and third tables present...” and “including Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.” Most figures remain understandable, but the range of sentence patterns is limited, and some constructions are difficult to follow. In “there was a 76% and 60,515 ratio of residents,” the sentence structure does not clearly show how the two figures relate. Similarly, “Then, after 1,850,093 residents, it was 54%” leaves the subject and relationship unclear. The repeated use of “the population was” also limits structural variety. Practise forming clear comparison sentences, such as stating that Manhattan’s population stood at a figure and accounted for a percentage of the city total.

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