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)

The table presnts the data about population changes in New York and its four districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island).

Overall, in New York tables shows enormus growth in population in last two decades where as in Manhattan shows great decline in population . On the other hand remaining four districts also have raise in population.

In 1800, New York population was 79,216 but in 1900 population stood by around 3.4 million which is known as millennials. Futhermore, in 2000 generation Z is almost 8 million. Moreover, the population distritubution in Manhattan was 76% which was 60,515 in 1800 but with the passage of time in 1900 it only remains 54% and by 2000 it keeps declining to 1,538,096 which is only 19% growth as ww discuss remaining three districts it also shows great incline which is rom 24% to 81% . overall from all four districts only Manattan shows decline in population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad pattern of rapid citywide growth and the shift in population share away from Manhattan, and you include relevant figures for 1800, 1900 and 2000. However, the overview is not consistently accurate: Manhattan’s population did not decline throughout the period, since it rose from 60,515 to 1,850,093 before falling to 1,538,096. The other districts’ combined population increased, but they are not all shown individually, so the claim about “all four districts” is not supported by these tables. Some descriptions also confuse population totals with percentages, particularly “19% growth.” A clearer overview and more precise comparisons between the two measures would make the report more complete and reliable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is an attempt to organise the response with an opening, an overview and a paragraph of figures, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “On the other hand” and “Moreover” help signal relationships. However, the progression is difficult to follow because several ideas are crowded into one long final paragraph, and the comparisons shift abruptly between total population, Manhattan’s share and the other districts’ share. Phrases such as “as we discuss remaining three districts” do not clearly connect to the data. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and key details, then group figures by year or by Manhattan versus the combined other districts. This would make the sequence clearer and reduce repetitive linking.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant terms, including “population,” “distribution,” “decline” and “growth,” and you attempt to describe change rather than simply list figures. However, inaccurate word choice and spelling frequently make the meaning unclear. “Millennials” and “generation Z” are unrelated to the population figures, while “great incline” is not a natural way to describe an increase. There are also misspellings such as “presnts,” “enormus,” “Futhermore” and “distritubution.” Some phrases, including “population stood by” and “it only remains 54%,” are awkward or imprecise. Choose standard data-reporting vocabulary and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more extended sentences, including clauses introduced by “whereas” and “but,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in sentence structure and agreement appear in “in New York tables shows” and “in Manhattan shows great decline,” where the subjects and verbs do not form complete, accurate clauses. The sentence beginning “Moreover, the population distribution in Manhattan…” becomes difficult to follow as several comparisons are joined together without clear grammatical boundaries. Articles and prepositions are also often missing or inaccurate, as in “in last two decades” and “stood by around 3.4 million.” Aim first for clear, complete sentences, then add complex clauses only when their relationships are easy to express.

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