Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-21

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 provided table charts illustrates the population of New York city from 1800 to 2000. To begin with general chart they shows overall population of city while furthermore chart shows the population of specific district Manhattan. Ultimately the last one graph shows the population of other four districts named as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Stalen Island.

We clearly see in first sight population of New York City in 1800s having too much low around about 79,216 in figures while in 2000s it is gradually increase and reached to 8,009,185. When we see the one district named as Manhattan its population have 76% in 1800s while gradually decrease in 1900s its reached to 54% lately in 2000s its getting down and reached to 19% only.

While we discussing combined other three districts we already described there names it included Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island its population is gradullay increasing in 1800s its percentage include 24% while in 1900s its getting double to reach 46% lately in 2000s its getting again double to reach 81%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall rise in New York City’s population and the contrasting changes in Manhattan’s and the other districts’ shares, which are central features of the tables. The percentages you report—Manhattan falling from 76% to 19% and the other districts rising from 24% to 81%—are accurate. However, the overview is not clearly separated from the description, and the account omits the important fact that Manhattan’s population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 in 2000. The city’s 1900 total is also not reported. Some comparisons are imprecise: the other districts’ share did not double from 46% to 81%. Select the key figures and describe these changes more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the tables, discusses the city total, then Manhattan and the other districts. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these topics, and phrases such as “while” and “lately” attempt to connect changes over time. However, progression is weakened by repetitive, mechanical transitions such as “To begin with,” “Ultimately,” and “When we see.” References are sometimes unclear: “the one district” and “the last one graph” make the table relationships harder to follow, and the opening sentence does not clearly establish how the information is organised. Use a concise overview followed by logically grouped comparisons, and make each linking phrase express a clear relationship between the figures.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “population,” “percentage,” “decrease,” and “reached,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. For example, “charts illustrates” is an awkward description of tables, “too much low” does not naturally describe a figure, and “getting double” is imprecise for the change from 46% to 81%. There are also spelling errors, including “Stalen” and “gradullay.” Aim for accurate, task-specific expressions such as “accounted for,” “rose to,” and “declined,” and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example with “while” and “when,” but control of sentence structure is weak and errors occur frequently. The opening, “The provided table charts illustrates,” has a subject–verb agreement problem and an unclear noun phrase. Other examples include “they shows,” “its population have,” and “its reached,” where agreement or verb forms are incorrect. Tense and sentence boundaries also need attention: “in 1800s having too much low” is not a complete, well-formed clause, while several sentences run together through repeated “while” and “lately.” Practise accurate simple past forms for the historical data, then build longer sentences only when the clauses are correctly joined.

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