Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-26

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 given tables are pointing out the population of New York City and comparing the total contribution of manhattan and other 4 cities combines namely Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.

The first tables aims to point out the total population of all five disticts of New York City from the year 1800 to year 2000.

The second and third table mainy aim at distinguishing the Manhattan district with the other 4 districts namely Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.

The first Table shows the population nearly went up by x100 times in just 200 years.

The second table continues to point out the contribution of population from manhattan that was a part of the total population which gradually went down in their contribution towards the total population in the 2000s.

Third table shows the population contributing towards total has gone by almost 60+ percent.

In conclusion the population tend to moves towards the other districts leaving manhattan over the years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad pattern that New York’s population grew and that Manhattan’s share declined while the other districts’ share increased. The conclusion that population shifted towards the other districts is relevant. However, the response reports few precise figures and leaves important comparisons unclear: for example, Manhattan rose from 60,515 in 1800 to 1,850,093 in 1900, then fell to 1,538,096 in 2000, while the other districts grew to 6,471,089. “Nearly went up by x100 times” is also inaccurate: the total increased by roughly 101 times, but this is not clearly expressed. Develop the overview and support it with key figures and accurate comparisons across all three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence, moving from an introduction through comments on the tables to a concluding statement. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, the progression is repetitive: the first three paragraphs largely restate what each table shows rather than grouping the main trends. Linking phrases such as “The second table continues to point out” and “Third table shows” are mechanical, and the relationship between population totals and percentages is not always clear. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by paragraphs comparing the figures over time, and use clear references such as “Manhattan’s share” and “the other districts’ combined population.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “population,” “total,” “contribution,” and “district,” and the reader can generally identify the subject of each sentence. However, the range is limited and several choices are imprecise or unnatural, such as “total contribution,” “population contributing towards total,” and “moves towards the other districts.” Repetition of “point out” also makes the report less precise. Use vocabulary that directly describes numerical change and proportions, such as “rose,” “declined,” “accounted for,” and “share.” Check spelling and word forms, including “districts” and “mainly,” to make the information easier to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the main topic is usually understandable. However, errors occur frequently in sentence construction and agreement. For example, “The first tables aims” has a plural subject with a singular verb, while “Third table shows” is missing an article. The phrase “the population tend to moves” combines an incorrect verb form with a singular subject, and “which gradually went down in their contribution” has unclear agreement and reference. Punctuation and capitalisation are also inconsistent. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, articles, and verb patterns, then build longer sentences around one clear comparison at a time.

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