Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 describe the changes in the total population of New York City, Manhattan and other districts from 1800 to 2000.

Overall, the highest population are New York and Manhattan population are lower than other districts.

In 1800, population of New York was highest around 79,216 as compare to Manhattan because its population was 18,701 that 76%. While the other districts of population had fewer than 18,701 about 24%.

The population of New York was greatest such that 8,009,185 rather than Manhattan that its had fewer than 1,538,096 from 1900 to 2000. However, the population had steeply increased such that 6,471,089 around 81% from 1900 to 2000. It is noticeable that New york has remained highest population as compare to Manhattan and other districts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the broad period and include some relevant figures, but the main comparisons are often misreported or unclear. In 1800, 79,216 is the citywide total, while Manhattan had 60,515 (76%) and the other districts 18,701 (24%); your response assigns the latter figures to the wrong groups. You also say Manhattan’s population was lower than the other districts, although it was higher in 1800 and 1900. The overview does not clearly capture the key shift: Manhattan’s share fell while the other districts’ share rose. The response is also 35 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail and coverage possible. Select the main trends accurately and support them with clear comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, beginning with an introduction and then moving through dates, and connectors such as “Overall,” “However,” and “It is noticeable” show an effort to link ideas. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the overview is unclear and the body combines citywide totals with district figures without explaining their relationship. For example, the 1800 comparison places the figures for Manhattan and the other districts in confusing, contradictory statements. The final sentence repeats the claim that New York had the highest population rather than adding a distinct summary. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and key comparisons, and make each sentence’s subject and comparison explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to identify the topic and report basic change, with phrases such as “total population,” “increased,” and “from 1800 to 2000.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the meaning difficult to interpret. “The highest population are New York” is not a natural way to describe the city’s total, while “as compare to” and “had steeply increased such that” are awkward. Repetition of “population” and “highest” also reduces precision. Practise standard Task 1 language for proportions and trends, such as “accounted for,” “rose,” “declined,” and “whereas,” and ensure that the chosen phrase accurately describes the data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast introduced by “While” and a sentence beginning “However.” Nevertheless, errors in sentence structure and agreement are frequent enough to make several comparisons hard to understand. For example, “the highest population are New York and Manhattan population are lower” contains faulty agreement and an unclear structure; “that its had fewer than” is also grammatically incomplete. Articles and prepositions are often missing or misplaced, as in “In 1800, population of New York” and “from 1900 to 2000” where the intended comparison is not clearly framed. Build accurate short sentences first, then combine them with controlled clauses using “while” or “whereas.”

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

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