Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-13

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 in the following figure. The first table shows changes in the total population of New York City while the other two tables shows changes in the population in the five districts of this city over the same period.

Overall, these tables shows that in the beginning most of the population of New York City was contained in Manhattan district. After this, the population in this district start decreasing while the percentage of total population in other districts increases gradually.

In 1800, number of the population in New York City is 79,216 and after two centuries, this number reached at [redacted phone]. In this time period,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the overall contrast accurately: Manhattan held most of the city’s population in 1800, while the other districts’ share grew over time. You also give the total population in 1800 and 2000 correctly. However, the response is incomplete and reports very little of the table data: it omits the 1900 total and all district population figures, and it does not explain that Manhattan’s population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 by 2000. The final sentence stops before a comparison is made. The required minimum of 150 words is not met; the response has 98 words, with 10 copied prompt words excluded. Add key figures and comparisons to develop the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic structure, moving from an introduction to an overview and then to a detail paragraph. The overview also signals a relevant contrast between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the progression is not sustained: the final paragraph ends abruptly with “In this time period,” and provides no further detail. The linking phrase “After this” is vague, and the repeated references to “these tables” do little to connect specific comparisons. To improve, organise the body around the total population trend and the changing district shares, then use clear links such as “By 1900” and “In contrast” to guide the reader through the data.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “district,” and “decreasing,” so the main topic is understandable. However, the range is limited and several phrases are awkward or imprecise, such as “contained in Manhattan district” and “number of the population.” “Reached at” is also an unsuitable collocation for describing a figure. Repetition of “population” and “tables” further limits flexibility. Use more precise reporting language, for example, “accounted for,” “population share,” “rose to,” and “fell to,” while varying references to the figures. Check number formatting as well: write 8,009,185 with separators for clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes simple statements and an attempt at a longer sentence, and the intended meaning is generally recoverable. However, errors in agreement and verb forms recur: “the other two tables shows” and “these tables shows” should use “show,” while “the population … start decreasing” needs a past-tense form such as “started to decrease.” Articles and sentence patterns are also problematic in “In 1800, number of the population … is 79,216,” and the final phrase “In this time period,” is left incomplete. These issues, alongside the narrow range of structures, make the writing less controlled. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and complete sentences, including comparisons between years.

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