Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-22

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)

In the below tables first table displays changes in total population of New York city between 1800 to 2000. The second table demonstrate the changes in population of the five district of the city(Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island ) over the same period of time.

Overall, New York City population increased with the passage of time. Five district population also grew graduation in the following three years. However Manhattan district population portion decreased as compare to the total population of the city. On the other hand other four district proportion of population also increased as compare to the total city population with increase in number of population from 1800 to 2000

In table 1 New York City population was 79216 in the year 1800 whi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the broad trends correctly: New York City’s population rose, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts’ combined share increased. However, the report is incomplete and does not adequately summarise or compare the figures. It stops partway through the first data paragraph at “was 79216 in the year 1800 whi,” so the 1900 and 2000 totals and the district populations are not reported. The overview also says the five districts’ population “grew graduation,” but does not distinguish Manhattan’s actual decline after 1900 from the growth elsewhere. The response is 113 words, below the required 150; 13 words copied from the prompt were excluded from the count. Include a complete overview and select key figures to support the comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is an attempt at a basic report structure: an introduction, an overview beginning “Overall,” and a paragraph starting “In table 1.” This gives the reader some indication of the intended organisation. However, the response ends abruptly in the middle of a sentence, so it has no completed data discussion or conclusion to carry the information forward. Connections between ideas are also unclear: “However” and “On the other hand” introduce contrasts, but the relationship between Manhattan’s share and the other districts’ share is expressed repetitively rather than developed. Organise the response into a complete introduction, overview, and data paragraphs, grouping related figures and using clear references such as “Manhattan” and “the other four districts” consistently.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the general subject and some trends, including “total population,” “portion decreased,” and “proportion … increased.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, which makes parts difficult to understand. For example, “grew graduation” does not convey the intended trend, and “population portion” is an awkward way to describe a share. “Five district” and “other four district” also show inconsistent plural forms. Use precise terms such as “population share,” “accounted for,” “rose,” and “declined,” and avoid repeating “population” when a clear reference is possible. Check spelling and word forms before submitting, especially in key trend statements.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, for example, “Overall, New York City population increased with the passage of time” and the sentence contrasting Manhattan with the other districts. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make the intended meaning hard to follow. Examples include “first table displays” without an article, “The second table demonstrate” with subject–verb disagreement, and “between 1800 to 2000,” where the time expression is not correctly formed. The final sentence is also incomplete: “was 79216 in the year 1800 whi.” Practise accurate articles, agreement, plural forms, and complete sentence construction. Use a few controlled complex sentences to compare the periods, then proofread each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.