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)

thess tables shows the changes in the population of new city and its main five districts from 1800 to 2000 . this table showes the difference between one city name manhattan and othere 4 districts collectivelly.

the popolation incresses from 79,216 to 8,[redacted phone] within thses 3 years.

in 1800 the number of population was 79,216 that incresses to 3,437,202 in 1900 qand then the major change of population that the table shows is 8,009,185 is in 2000. in 1800 there was 76per popullation in manhttan and 24 per in other 4 districts ( brooklyn ,Box ,Queen ,staten Island).then in 1900 the popullation divisin changes between these districts from 76per to 54 per in Manhttan and 54per to 46per in the othere 4 districts and then the majore change occure in 2000 that is from 54per to 19per in manthatton and from 46per to 81 per incress in thr other 4 districts

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall rise in New York City’s population and report the key figures for 1800, 1900 and 2000. You also capture the main shift in population share: Manhattan’s proportion falls from 76% to 19%, while the other districts’ share rises from 24% to 81%. These are relevant comparisons and show a reasonable understanding of the tables. However, the overview is not clearly separated or fully developed, and the response focuses mainly on percentages rather than comparing the actual district populations. The phrase “within these 3 years” is also unclear, since the figures represent three points across two centuries. A clearer overview and a few accurate population comparisons would make the summary more complete and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a broadly sensible order: it introduces the tables, gives the citywide figures, and then describes the changing shares of Manhattan and the other districts. Time markers such as “in 1800,” “in 1900” and “then” help the reader follow the chronology. However, the writing is presented as one continuous paragraph, and the long final sentence combines several comparisons, making the progression difficult to track. Some linking is repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “then,” while the reference in “this table” is not always clear because two sets of information are being discussed. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and details, and divide the comparisons into shorter, clearly linked sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “population,” “districts,” “percentage” and “changes,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the report less clear, such as “popolation,” “divisin,” “incress” and “majore.” The phrase “the major change of population” is also imprecise: the figures show a substantial increase in the city’s total population and a shift in its distribution. District names should be written accurately, and “Box” does not identify the Bronx. Aim to use precise reporting language and vary repeated terms such as “change” and “increase”; careful spelling and more accurate collocations would improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, for example by using “and then” to describe changes across the three years. However, the response relies on a narrow range of sentence patterns, and the longer constructions are often difficult to control. In “the population increases from 79,216 to 8,009185 within these 3 years,” the tense and time expression do not fit the historical data. The sentence beginning “in 1800 the number of population was” also has an awkward grammatical structure, and punctuation is inconsistent, with missing spaces after full stops and commas. Use simple, accurate sentences first, then add controlled complex structures; check verb tense, articles and 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.