Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-15

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 charts which show the population changing from 1800 to 2000. In 1800,the total population of New York City is less than 80,000,. In 1900,the figure has dramatically increased from 79,216 to 3.4 million. In 2000, it continusely increased from 3.4 million to 8 million. In 1800, Manhatten was decleared as a district with 60,515 people which is the 76% of the New York city. The other districts [Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island] had only 18,701 people which is only 24% of the total city population. In the 19th century, the population of Manhattan was dramatically increased

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the overall rise in New York City’s population and report several accurate figures for 1800, including Manhattan’s 60,515 residents and the other districts’ 18,701. However, the response covers the tables only partially: it gives little information about the 1900 and 2000 district populations or the changing shares, and it ends before completing the point about Manhattan’s later trend. The overview is also limited; the key contrast—that Manhattan’s population share fell while the other districts became dominant—is not stated. The response is 99 words, below the required 150, which leaves the main features underdeveloped. To improve, summarise the overall patterns and compare the districts across all three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence, moving from the citywide figures to the district figures, and the repeated year references help readers follow the chronology. However, there is no clear overall progression from an overview to selected comparisons, and the final sentence is incomplete, leaving the discussion unfinished. Some linking is repetitive, particularly the repeated openings “In 1800” and “In 2000,” while the transition to “In the 19th century” does not develop the comparison. Organise the report into a brief overview followed by paragraphs comparing the city total and district patterns. Use links such as “By contrast” or “By 2000” to show how the figures relate, rather than relying mainly on year-by-year openings.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “total population,” “figure,” “increased,” and “dramatically,” so the main subject is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several choices or spellings reduce precision: “continusely” is not the appropriate form, “decleared as a district” does not express the intended population fact, and “only” is repeated without adding useful emphasis. “Charts” is also less precise than “tables” for the visuals provided. Aim for accurate, task-specific language such as “accounted for,” “population share,” and “rose,” and check spelling and collocations. More varied vocabulary would help you describe the contrasting trends without repeating the same basic terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate several facts through simple sentences, and the basic subject–verb structure is usually understandable. However, the range is narrow, with little use of complex comparisons, and errors occur in tense, articles, and sentence boundaries. For example, “the total population … is less than 80,000” shifts to the present when describing 1800, while “which is the 76%” uses an unnecessary article. The final clause, “the population of Manhattan was dramatically increased,” has an incorrect passive construction for this trend and is left unfinished. Punctuation and spacing around commas are also inconsistent. Practise past-tense reporting and comparison structures, such as “Manhattan’s population rose…, whereas its share fell…,” and proofread each sentence for a complete ending.

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