Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-29

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 first provided table depicts the change the overall population of new york city from 1800 to 2000. the provided second and third table shows the change in the population of five districts (Manhattan, brooklyn,brons,queens mand staten island )over same period of time.

overall, it can be seen that in the first table in 2000 population was higher and the higher percentage of total population in second table was in 1800 and in third table it was in 2000.

first of all, it can be seen that in 1800 total population was 79,216 in all five districts of new york city, moreover, in 1900 this number lies at 3,437,202 which was higher than 1800. furthermore in 2000 the total population was 8,009,185.

in addittion, it can be seen that in manhattan population in 18000 was 60,515 and in overall percentage was 76%. moreover, in 1900 this number increased which was now 1,850,093 and total percentage was 54% furthermore, in 20000 the population was 1,538,096 and total percentage was 19%. addittionaly, in other districts of new york city the population in 1800 was 18,701 and as percentage of total population was 24% furthermore, in 1900 population was in districts was 1,587,109 and overall population was 46% moreover in 2000 population in these districts was 6,471,089 whicvh was increased as compared to past years and percentage of total population was 81% which was increased

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You report the main overall rise in New York City’s population and include relevant figures for all three years. You also identify the key contrast: Manhattan’s share falls from 76% to 19%, while the other districts’ share rises from 24% to 81%. However, the overview is unclear when it says the “higher percentage” in the second table was in 1800 and in the third was in 2000; these are two categories within the same table, not separate tables. Some comparisons are underdeveloped: Manhattan’s population rose by 1900 but then fell by 2000, a significant change that should be stated explicitly. The response addresses the task, but its overview and selection of trends are not consistently clear or fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic structure, moving from an introduction and overview to the total population and then the district figures. This gives the reader a general route through the information. However, progression within paragraphs is often mechanical: “moreover,” “furthermore,” and “in addition” are repeatedly used to join facts without showing how they relate. The overview’s reference to the “second table” and “third table” is also confusing, since the district information is presented together. Several long sentences combine multiple years and figures, making comparisons harder to follow. Grouping the district trends more clearly—for example, contrasting Manhattan’s decline after 1900 with the continued growth of the other districts—would create a more coherent progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the main subject and some changes, including “population,” “percentage,” “increased,” and “higher.” However, the range is limited and several words or phrases are repeated, particularly “moreover” and “furthermore.” Some choices are imprecise for describing data: “this number lies at” is unnatural, and “overall percentage” does not clearly express the share of the city’s total population. Spelling errors such as “addittion,” “whicvh,” and “brons” are noticeable, while inconsistent capitalisation of place names also reduces accuracy. More precise trend language and careful proofreading would make the report clearer and more appropriate to an academic summary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to use longer sentences and linking clauses, but the range of sentence structures is limited and errors occur frequently. The opening sentence, “depicts the change the overall population,” is missing a grammatical link, while “the second and third table shows” has a subject–verb agreement error. Tense and number forms are also inconsistent, as in “in 18000” and “in 20000,” and several sentences run together without clear punctuation. The repeated use of simple clauses joined by connectors makes the writing sound repetitive. Practise accurate sentence patterns such as “The population rose from X in 1800 to Y in 1900, before falling to Z in 2000,” and check agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries.

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