Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-16

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)

This is summary of the changes in the population of New York City over 200 years between the years 1800 and 2000, followed by focus on changes of population of the five districts of Manhattan, Brookly, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.

Overall, for the whole of New York City, the increase in population in the first 100 years, is far less dramatic than the increase in the following 100 years, with the biggest population in 1800 residing in Manhattan, while in 2000 Manhattan no longer held the biggest poplation for New York City.

The population of New York City increased drammatically in 1900, reaching a total of 3,437,202 comparing to 1800 with a total of 79,216. In 1800 and 1900, Manhattan had the highest percetage comparig to the other four districts with a peecenatge of 76% in 1800, which means that the majority of New York's residents where in Manhattan, and 54% in 1900. There was a firther decrease in the following 100 years, where Manhattan's population reached the lowest in the reporting 200 years with a 19%.

Overall the population increased by more than 7,500,000 in all five disricts, by more than 1,400,00 in Manhattan alone, and more than 6,000,00 in the other four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island)

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad growth of New York City and the changing balance between Manhattan and the other districts, which are relevant main features. The figures for the city in 1800 and 1900 and Manhattan’s shares in all three years are reported accurately. However, the account is only partial: it omits the 2000 total of 8,009,185 and the other districts’ population and shares, which are essential to showing how the city’s growth shifted away from Manhattan. The claim that Manhattan’s population “reached the lowest” in 2000 is misleading: its population fell from 1,850,093 to 1,538,096, but remained far above its 1800 figure. Include the key 2000 comparisons and make the overview more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable introduction, overview and supporting paragraphs, and it generally moves from the city-wide trend to district figures. However, progression is uneven: the final paragraph repeats the general increase rather than developing the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts. Linking is also sometimes mechanical, with repeated “Overall” and frequent use of “in 1800 and 1900” without clearly guiding the reader through the three time points. Some references are unclear, such as “the biggest population” and “the lowest in the reporting 200 years,” because the comparison group or measure is not stated precisely. Organise the body around the city total and then the contrasting district trends, using clear time-based links and avoiding repeated summary statements.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “residing” and “dramatically,” and the meaning is usually recoverable. However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling errors reduce accuracy: “Brookly,” “poplation,” “percetage,” “comparig,” “peecenatge,” “firther” and “disricts.” Some expressions are also imprecise or unnatural, such as “biggest population,” “held the biggest poplation” and “reached the lowest,” which do not clearly distinguish population size from percentage share. Use precise terms such as “largest population,” “accounted for” and “declined to,” and proofread carefully for spelling. More varied, accurate language for describing proportions and changes would make the comparisons clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “which means that the majority…” and a comparison introduced by “while.” However, errors are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. For example, “This is summary” is missing an article, and “the increase … in the first 100 years, is” has an unnecessary comma separating the subject and verb. The phrase “reaching a total of 3,437,202 comparing to 1800” has a faulty comparison structure; write “compared with the 1800 figure of 79,216.” There are also problems with agreement and sentence construction in “the biggest population … residing in Manhattan.” Aim for complete, direct sentences, check articles and punctuation, and use consistent past-tense forms when reporting historical data.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.