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)

The table illustrates the entire public of New York City of last two decades of 19th century, in other two parts it displays the same period's population of different five districts of a city.

At first, there is a table of year and population of all five districts of New York City. Furthermore, the table of Manhattan, in which it is showing the same two factors but also the growth in its population as percentage. Same as in table three.

We can say that, there is major jump of 79216 to [redacted phone] of population from 1800 to 1900 in all five districts and [redacted phone] to [redacted phone] from 1900 to 2000.

On the other hand, the percentage of Manhattan is significantly increase in 1800 around 76%, 54% in 1900 and 19% in 2000. While the remaining districts (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten, Island) is increased by 24% in 1800, 46% in 1900 but a soared of 81% in 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad pattern that New York City’s population rose substantially and that Manhattan’s share declined while the other districts’ share increased. The percentages you report match the table. However, the overview is not clearly separated from the details, and some key comparisons are missing or unclear. In particular, Manhattan’s population rose from 60,515 to 1,850,093 by 1900, then fell to 1,538,096 in 2000; this absolute decline is not reported. The opening also inaccurately describes the data as covering the “last two decades of 19th century,” although the years are 1800, 1900 and 2000. Develop a clear overview and report the main population changes more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the tables, gives the citywide figures, and then discusses the district percentages. This provides some organisation, but progression is difficult to follow because the first two paragraphs mainly describe what the tables contain rather than summarising their key message. Linking phrases such as “Furthermore,” “On the other hand,” and “While” are used, but the relationships they signal are sometimes unclear; for example, “On the other hand” does not establish a clear contrast with the preceding citywide figures. The final sentence also combines several comparisons without a clear structure. Group the response into a concise introduction and overview, followed by logically organised details, and use linking words only where the relationship is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “population,” “percentage,” “major jump,” and “significantly.” The meaning is generally recoverable, but the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the report awkward. For example, “entire public” is not an appropriate way to describe the city’s population, and “a soared of 81%” does not express the increase naturally. “Growth in its population as percentage” is also imprecise because the table gives Manhattan’s share of the total, not its growth rate. Use standard data-reporting phrases such as “accounted for,” “rose to,” “fell to,” and “the remaining districts’ combined share.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “in which” and “While,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in agreement and verb forms appear in “the percentage of Manhattan is significantly increase” and “the remaining districts … is increased.” The opening sentence also has an unclear time expression, and the sentence beginning “Furthermore” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence. Commas are sometimes placed after introductory phrases in ways that interrupt the sentence, as in “At first, there is a table…” These problems make several sentences difficult to read, although the intended comparisons can usually be understood. Practise complete sentence patterns and consistent past-tense reporting.

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