Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-03

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)

In the given tables ,it shows the data of increasing people in the city of New York and the other cities .

In the New York city and other districts the citizenry rate is increasing while Manhattan populace is drop.

The New York city citizenry is increasing year by year significantly from 1800 to 2000 and it grows with the high ratio. The district Manhattan populace goes up in 1900 but then in 2000 the ratio is too low as compared to 1900 of just 19% in 2000.

In the third table ,it shows the data by combining the remaining 4 cities from 1800 to 1900 ,the total population increases from 24% to 46% and from 1900 to 2000 ,it rises to 81% of total population is about 6,471,089 and if it compare to New York city it approximately looks to close to New York as it has a total populace of about 8,009,185.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall contrast: New York City’s population grew, while Manhattan’s share declined and the other districts’ share increased. You also include relevant figures, such as the other districts reaching 81% and 6,471,089 in 2000. However, coverage is partial and some key comparisons are unclear or inaccurate. The city’s total population is not described with its actual figures, and Manhattan’s 2000 population of 1,538,096 is omitted; saying its “ratio” was 19% does not explain that this is its share of the city total. The claim that the other districts’ population is “close to” the city’s total is also an unclear comparison between a component and the whole. Select the main figures and explain what each percentage represents.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence, moving from a general statement to Manhattan and then the other districts, and phrases such as “while” and “then” signal some relationships. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the information is not clearly divided into an introduction, overview and detail paragraphs. Several sentences combine multiple points without clear links, especially the final sentence, which moves from the districts’ percentages to their population and then compares this with the city total. References such as “the third table” and “it” are also not always clear. Organise the response into distinct paragraphs and use explicit comparisons, for example, separating population totals from percentage shares.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “significantly,” “citizenry,” “populace” and “approximately,” and the reader can generally identify the topic. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise for describing population data: “increasing people,” “citizenry rate,” and “the ratio is too low” do not express the trends clearly. Repeating “populace” and “population” also limits flexibility, while “other cities” is inaccurate because the figures refer to districts. Aim for standard, precise collocations such as “the population increased,” “accounted for 19% of the total,” and “the remaining four districts.” This would make the comparisons easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a contrast with “while” and a time sequence with “but then.” However, control is uneven, and errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles and punctuation sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “In the given tables, it shows” has an unclear subject, while “if it compare to New York city” lacks the correct verb form and a clear comparison structure. The opening also has spacing and comma errors, and “the data by combining” is an awkward construction. Practise building accurate sentences around a clear subject and verb, such as “The tables show that…” and “Compared with the city’s total, the other districts…”.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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