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)

It is often claimed that the New York city's population was large at 1800 and less at 1900 and 2000 but this information is totally wrong same with five cities which are discribed below.

To begin with, Nowadays many people says that the New York city has much larger population as compared to 1900 and 2000. This information is totally wrong, as we see in the past the popluation of New York city's population was 70,216 and then at 1900 its population expanded and bacome 3,437,202 and in the 2000 the New York city have reached 8,009,185 of human population and this is to much.

Moreover, People also says wrong information about some districts like Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, staten island. They say that these districts have to much population but as we see from our information, all these five districts the population of Manhattan have 60,515 76% than in 1900 population reached to 1,850,093 and in the 2000 the population reached to 1,538,096 poppulation and other four districts Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island have reached much population from 1800 to 2000

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response identifies the broad rise in New York City’s population and notes that Manhattan’s share fell while the other districts grew, so it includes some relevant features. However, the opening claim that the population was “large at 1800 and less at 1900 and 2000” contradicts the tables, and the 1800 total is misreported as 70,216 rather than 79,216. The account of the districts is incomplete: it gives Manhattan’s figures but does not report the combined population or percentages for the other four districts, and it does not clearly compare the key changes across all three years. To improve, provide an accurate overview first, then select and compare the main figures, including the shift from Manhattan’s majority to the other districts’ dominance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic paragraph structure, with an opening, a paragraph about the city total, and a final paragraph about the districts. Connectors such as “To begin with” and “Moreover” show an attempt to guide the reader. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the introduction makes a confusing claim and the repeated assertion that information is “totally wrong” does not help organise the data. The final paragraph combines several figures in a long, unclear sentence, and the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts is not completed. Use a concise overview followed by separate, logically ordered comparisons, and use clear references such as “the remaining four districts” to avoid repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “districts,” “expanded,” and “reached,” and it attempts to describe change over time. However, the range is limited and several choices are repetitive or unsuitable for a neutral data report. Phrases such as “this information is totally wrong,” “much population,” and “this is to much” sound conversational or unclear rather than analytical. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “discribed,” “popluation,” and “poppulation,” which reduce accuracy. Build a more precise set of trend expressions and use them consistently—for example, “increased,” “declined,” “accounted for,” and “the remaining districts”—while checking spelling and avoiding unsupported claims about what people say.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “as” and “but,” but control is inconsistent and the range remains limited. Errors in agreement and sentence construction appear in examples such as “many people says,” “the New York city have reached,” and “all these five districts the population of Manhattan have.” Articles and possessives are also awkward in “the New York city's population,” while the final sentence runs several ideas together without clear punctuation. These problems sometimes make the intended comparisons difficult to understand. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then combine them with controlled clauses; check subject–verb agreement and make sure each sentence has a clear subject and main verb.

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