Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19

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)

These tables show the population change of new york city and other 5 district. So, in 1800 the newyork population was 79,216, and in the same year the Manhattan distriuct 76% of population, whereas the other 4 district in thw same year only 24% population. in 1900 the city population was 3,437,202, wheater in the mahattan district the populatioin is reduced as compared toi last year, now it's 54%, but if compared to other 4 district the population rised in same yaer as compare previous one it's 46%. and in last 2000 year the population of city increased year by year and now the total population is 8,009,185, but if we see the district wise the population fall in manhattan and last year the percentage is 54% but now in 2000 the percentage more reduced, its 19% which is big differences. on the other hand, the 4 district increased in 1800 the percentage is 24%, but if we compared this now inm 2000 the percentage really high its 81%.

the sum of all paragragh the population in city incresed day by day and people move according to their needs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main broad pattern: New York City’s total population grew, while Manhattan’s share fell and the other districts’ share rose. Several figures are reported accurately, including the city totals and the 1800 and 2000 percentages. However, the account is only partly complete: it does not give the district population figures, and it misstates Manhattan’s 2000 share as 54% before later giving 19%. The final claim that people moved “according to their needs” is not supported by the tables. To strengthen the response, provide a concise overview and compare the key changes accurately, including Manhattan’s population peaking in 1900 before declining by 2000, while the other districts grew substantially.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows the years in chronological order and uses basic linking expressions such as “whereas” and “on the other hand,” so the reader can identify the intended comparisons. However, the information is presented as one long paragraph, with no clear separation between an overview and supporting details. Several transitions are repetitive or awkward, and references such as “last year” are unclear because the data compare years a century apart. The concluding sentence introduces an unsupported explanation rather than summarising the data. Organise the response into an introduction, a clear overview, and one or two detail paragraphs, and use precise references such as “by 2000” to make progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “population,” “percentage,” “increased,” “reduced,” and “compared.” This gives the response a basic range suited to the topic. However, word choice is often repetitive or imprecise: “population fall” and “percentage really high” do not express the trends naturally, while “other 4 district” is an inaccurate label for the four remaining districts. Numerous spelling errors, including “distriuct,” “populatioin,” and “incresed,” also make the writing less clear. Build a more precise set of trend and comparison phrases, and check spelling and word forms carefully. For example, describe a share as “declined” and the other districts’ share as “rose substantially.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to connect ideas in longer sentences using forms such as “whereas,” “but,” and “if we see,” showing some effort to go beyond simple statements. However, complex sentences are often faulty, and frequent errors in tense, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries make parts difficult to follow. For instance, “the Manhattan distriuct 76% of population” lacks a verb, while “the population rised” uses an incorrect verb form. The sentence beginning “and in last 2000 year” also combines several ideas without clear punctuation. Use shorter, controlled sentences first, with accurate forms such as “Manhattan accounted for 76%” and “its share fell to 19%,” then add more complex comparisons once these patterns are secure.

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