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 gives information about in the total New work city population from 1800 to 2000 as well as the second and third tables provided total population percentage ( Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, staten Island) and manhattan from 1800 to 2000 years.

Overall, the greatest incresase population New work city (all five districts) highest population 8,009,185 in 2000, lowest population 79,216 in 1800. Manhattan population high 1,538,096 as percentage 19% is very low of total population in 2000, population is low 60,515 as percentage 76% very high total populationin 1800.

New work city all five districts people all over 2000 year improving population to 1800 year population all over that and 1900 year populaion middle period new work city [redacted phone] population in new work city. Others district population Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island population 1800 to 2000 as percentage 81% to 24%

Manhattan population increse 1800 to 2000 year 60515 to [redacted phone] populaiton as

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main broad pattern: New York City’s population grew substantially, and Manhattan’s share fell while the other districts’ share rose. You also include several accurate figures, including the city totals for 1800 and 2000 and Manhattan’s 2000 population and percentage. However, the account is only partly developed: the 1900 figures are mentioned briefly, and the comparison between Manhattan and the other districts is not clearly traced across all three years. There is also a significant factual reversal in the final comparison: the other districts’ share rose from 24% in 1800 to 81% in 2000, not from 81% to 24%. A clearer overview and accurate, selected comparisons would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has some basic organisation: it begins with an introduction, gives an overview, and then attempts to describe the city and district figures. However, progression is difficult to follow because ideas are repeated or placed in unclear sequences. For example, “highest population 8,009,185 in 2000, lowest population 79,216 in 1800” is followed by a confusing statement about Manhattan, while the later paragraph repeats the city’s growth without adding a clear comparison. Linking phrases such as “Overall” and “as well as” are used, but relationships between figures are often unclear. The final sentence is unfinished, which leaves the report without a complete ending. Grouping the city totals and district comparisons into distinct, logically ordered paragraphs would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing data, including “population,” “percentage,” “highest,” and “lowest,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, spelling, and collocation problems make the report less clear. Examples include “greatest incresase population,” “improving population,” and “middle period,” which do not express the intended trends naturally. The repeated phrase “New work city” also appears to be an inaccurate form of the place name, and spellings such as “populaion,” “increse,” and “staten” reduce accuracy. Build a small set of precise trend expressions—such as “rose sharply,” “accounted for,” and “declined as a proportion”—and check spelling and word forms before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple statements and longer sentences, but grammatical control is inconsistent, and many sentences are difficult to interpret. The opening, “The table gives information about in the total…,” contains an unnecessary preposition and an unclear sentence structure. In “Manhattan population high 1,538,096…,” the sentence lacks a verb, while “Manhattan population increse 1800 to 2000 year…” has an incomplete grammatical pattern and ends unfinished. Articles, prepositions, and sentence boundaries are also frequently missing or misplaced. These errors sometimes obscure the comparisons being made. Practise writing complete subject–verb sentences first, then combine them with accurate clauses, for example: “Manhattan’s population rose from X to Y, although its share of the city total fell.”

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