Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-30
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 demonstrate the changes in total population of new york city in the different period of time.
Overall, the table demonstrate the changes occur in the population of new york city from different year and second, third tables shows changes in the population of the five districts of the city over the same period.
To beguin, the population of new york city is increasing gradually at the three different year 1800, 1900 and 2000 by it's double after each survey.
Followed by, the population of manhattan is decreasing in compareas percentage of total population but the actual population is increasing in 1800 to 1900 from 60,515 to 1,850,093 but at the year 2000 it is started to falling at the 1,538,096 from the 1,850,093.
On the other hand, the population of brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten island is increasing as percentage of total population and both in the population is also increasing by it's initial population.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify the broad pattern of strong city growth and the contrasting change in Manhattan’s share, and you include several relevant figures, such as Manhattan’s rise from 60,515 to 1,850,093 before falling to 1,538,096. However, the overview mostly repeats the task description rather than summarising the key findings. The claim that the city population “double[s] after each survey” is inaccurate: it rises from 79,216 to 3,437,202 and then to 8,009,185, not by doubling at each stage. You also do not report the important shift in the other districts’ share from 24% to 81%. The response is 145 words, below the 150-word minimum, and this limits the detail provided. Develop a precise overview and compare the main figures and proportions.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about Manhattan and the other districts. This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and phrases such as “On the other hand” signal a contrast. However, the overview repeats the introduction instead of advancing the summary, and the progression between points is not always clear. “To beguin” and “Followed by” do not create accurate links between the information, while the final paragraph makes a broad claim without supporting figures. Use each paragraph for a distinct purpose: introduce the tables, summarise the main trends, then compare the key data. More precise linking and clearer references would make the relationships between population totals and percentages easier to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “total population,” “percentage,” “actual population,” and “increasing,” so the subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. For example, “increasing gradually” does not convey the very large rise in the city total, and “decreasing in compareas percentage” is unclear. “By it’s initial population” also fails to express the intended comparison. Spelling and capitalisation errors, including “beguin,” “new york,” and “Staten island,” further reduce accuracy. Aim for precise trend language such as “rose sharply,” “accounted for,” and “declined,” and check spelling and word forms before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts a few longer sentence forms, including a contrast between Manhattan’s population and its share of the total, but control is inconsistent. Errors occur in basic sentence patterns and agreement: “The table demonstrate” should be “The table demonstrates,” and “second, third tables shows” needs a clearer subject and matching verb. The sentence beginning “Followed by” is a fragment, while “the population … it is started to falling” combines incompatible verb forms. Apostrophe use in “it’s” is also incorrect for the possessive meaning intended. These errors sometimes make relationships difficult to interpret. Practise accurate simple comparisons first, then add subordinate clauses while checking subject–verb agreement, tense, articles, and complete sentence structure.
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