Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-25

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)

There are three tables which divulge the changes in total population of 5 districts since 1800 to till 2000 of New York City. The table of Manhattan district illustrates highest population change happened in 1800 and 1900 rather than the other four districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island).

Firstly, if we consider total populataion change in statistic way then we can count 100% change cumillitatively. So, in 1800 when 76% population change happen in Manhataan and only 24% in the other four districts. On the other hand in 1900, Manhattan experience the 54% of poupaltion change where as Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island examined the 46% population took place their areas which is quite close. But massive and dramatic change found in 2000 when four districts got their peak change in population which is 81% and Manhattan found only 19%.

In a nut shell, it can be said that pop

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify a relevant overall shift: Manhattan’s share falls while the other four districts’ combined share rises, and the percentages you give for 1800, 1900 and 2000 match the tables. However, the response only partially reports the main information. It omits the city’s total population growth from 79,216 to 8,009,185 and the actual district population figures, which would show that Manhattan’s population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before declining, while the other districts continued to grow. The claim that Manhattan had the “highest population change” is unclear and does not accurately describe the trend. The final sentence is unfinished, leaving the summary incomplete. Select the key totals and comparisons, and state them precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction to comparisons and then an attempted conclusion. Connectors such as “Firstly” and “On the other hand” help signal relationships between points. However, progression is limited: the opening repeats the task rather than establishing a clear overview, and the second paragraph moves through percentages without a consistent comparison of population totals and shares. Some linking is mechanical, while phrases such as “So” and “In a nut shell” do not create a clear logical connection. Most importantly, the conclusion stops at “it can be said that pop,” so the ending does not complete the argument. Organise the report around the overall trend, then compare the three years in a clear sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “dramatic change,” “cumulatively,” and “examined,” and the reader can generally identify the topic and intended comparisons. However, the range is limited by repeated use of “change” and “population,” and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing table data. For example, “divulge” is not suitable for what tables do, “population change happen” is an awkward collocation, and “districts got their peak change” does not clearly express that their combined share reached 81%. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “populataion,” “Manhataan,” and “poupaltion.” Use precise terms such as “population,” “share,” “rose,” and “declined,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional opening with “if we consider” and a contrast introduced by “whereas.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in sentence structure and verb forms sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “76% population change happen” lacks an article and has an incorrect verb form, while “Manhattan experience the 54%” does not use the appropriate tense or construction. The opening phrase “since 1800 to till 2000” also has an incorrect prepositional pattern. The final fragment, “it can be said that pop,” is incomplete. Practise complete sentences with accurate past-tense verbs and clear subject–verb relationships, and proofread for sentence boundaries.

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.