Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-12

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 given tabular illustrate changes in the inhabitants of New York urban area from 1800 to 2000. The tables dipict alteration in population of the five difrent districts of the city over the same peroid.

overall, It can be seen that population in New York five districts grow substaintally over the peroid. While, in manhattan the ratio was higher at first later it continuasly fall moreover, other five districts inhabitants increased rapidly.

By analysing the data, in the year of 1800 population of New York was only about 79,216 it was least among all the other years following that the number grew noticeably in 1900 around 3,437,202 also the number increases again in 2000 and reached 8,009,185

To look at the manhattan population ratio in the year of 1800 was around 76%. Whereas, in 1900 that ratio falls

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad rise in New York’s population and note the changing importance of Manhattan, which are relevant main features. The figures given for the city total and Manhattan’s 1800 share are accurate. However, the report is incomplete: it stops while describing the 1900 Manhattan figure, omitting its actual population and the 2000 figures and comparisons for both Manhattan and the other districts. The overview also says the other districts increased rapidly but does not explain that their share rose from 24% to 81%, while Manhattan’s fell from 76% to 19%. The response is 12 words below the required minimum, and this contributes to the limited coverage. Include a complete overview and report the key changes across all three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview and two detail paragraphs. This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and phrases such as “By analysing the data” signal a move into details. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph ends mid-comparison (“in 1900 that ratio falls”), leaving the account unfinished. Some linking is awkward or unclear: “While” begins a fragment-like contrast in the overview, and “following that” does not clearly connect the 1800 and 1900 figures. Organise the details by year or by Manhattan versus the other districts, and complete each comparison before moving on. Use linking words only where the relationship between ideas is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “ratio,” “increased” and “reached,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision: “tabular,” “dipict,” “difrent,” “pero id” and “substaintally” are inaccurate, while “inhabitants of New York urban area” is an unnatural way to describe the data. “Other five districts” is also misleading because the table groups four districts together as the other districts. Use standard terms such as “tables,” “population,” “share” and “the other four districts,” and check spelling carefully. More precise verbs such as “rose,” “declined” and “accounted for” would help describe the trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer structures, for example “While, in manhattan the ratio was higher at first later it continuasly fall,” but control is inconsistent and many sentences contain errors. The opening needs a plural verb (“The tables illustrate”), and “population … grow” should be “population … grew.” Tense shifts also occur in “the number grew … also the number increases,” and the sentence lacks punctuation between the 1800 figure and the following clause. The overview’s “While” clause is not properly joined to the main idea, and “in the year of 1800 population” is missing an article. Aim for shorter, complete sentences first, then add accurate comparisons using past-tense verbs and clear punctuation.

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