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 tables illustrates variations in the total population of New York City and its five districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) between 1800 and 2000.

Overall, the total population in all five districts of New York City increased over the period, whereas the total population of other districts exept Manhattan accounted for the largest proportion of population in the New York City.

In the first table, the population of New York City was 79,216 in 1800. Afterwards, it increased gradually to 3,437,202 by 1900. Consquently, the population of New York City increased considerably to 8,009,185 by 2000.

The population of Manhattan increased from 60,515 to 1,850,093 between 1800 and 2000. Substantially, the population of this districtdeclined to 1,538,096 between 1900 and 2000. Initially the76

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the overall rise in New York City’s population and note that the districts outside Manhattan made up a growing share, which are relevant main features. However, the account is incomplete: it stops partway through a sentence and gives no figures or trend for the other districts, despite their increase to 6,471,089 and 81% by 2000. There is also a factual inconsistency: Manhattan rose from 60,515 to 1,850,093 by 1900, then fell to 1,538,096 by 2000, but your wording says it increased “between 1800 and 2000.” The response is 117 words, below the required 150; the eight words copied from the prompt are excluded. Add a complete comparison of both groups and their changing shares.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs beginning with “In the first table” and “The population of Manhattan.” This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and time markers such as “in 1800” and “by 1900” help establish chronology. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph breaks off at “Initially the76,” leaving the comparison unfinished. Some linking is also mechanical or unclear: “Afterwards” and “Consequently” do not express a meaningful cause-and-effect relationship between the population figures. Develop a complete paragraph on the other districts and use clear links to compare their figures and proportions with Manhattan’s.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some suitable task vocabulary, including “total population,” “proportion,” “increased considerably,” and “declined,” so the main trends are generally understandable. There is also some variation in how you describe change. However, several spelling and word-form errors reduce accuracy, including “exept” and “Consquently,” while “districtpopulation” appears run together. “Increased gradually” is not a precise description of the change from 79,216 to 3,437,202, and “Substantially” is awkward as a sentence opener in this context. Aim for accurate, natural collocations such as “rose sharply” and “accounted for,” and check spelling and spacing carefully. The incomplete final phrase also prevents the intended vocabulary from being clear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex forms, including the opening sentence with a relative clause and the contrast introduced by “whereas.” The main population statements are often understandable, and past-tense forms such as “was” and “increased” are generally appropriate. However, errors occur in sentence construction and agreement: “The tables illustrates” should be “The tables illustrate,” and “the total population … increased … whereas the total population … accounted” does not clearly express the intended comparison. The sentence about Manhattan also gives conflicting time information, and the final fragment “Initially the76” is incomplete. Use complete sentences, check subject–verb agreement, and make sure each sentence’s dates and verb forms express the intended trend.

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