Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-04

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)

New york ,a state of America, where foreign and resident live peacefully. this passage indicates the population differences and growth over years.In 1800, population was 79,216.In 1900 the ratio increase upto 3,437,202 ,it went up further day by day . Furthermore the population recorded in 2000 raised up to 8,009,185.If we dive deep in ,the other five districts specifically Manhattan made 76% of total population of state ,54% in 1900 and decreased further in 2000 upto19%.The other four states had an average percentage of 24,46,81 in 1800,1900,2000 respectively.

In contrast between different years the ratio of people living in Manhattan gradually reduced while the other districts showed significant rise in percentage over passing years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main overall pattern: New York City’s population grew substantially, Manhattan’s share fell, and the other districts’ combined share rose. The figures for the city total and the percentage shares are broadly accurate. However, the response is under the required 150 words, and the summary is therefore very limited. It also omits important comparisons in the tables: Manhattan’s population rose to 1,850,093 in 1900 before falling to 1,538,096 in 2000, while the other districts’ population increased from 18,701 to 6,471,089. Calling the districts “states” and describing the percentages as an “average” also misrepresents the data. Include a fuller overview and report key population changes as well as shares.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a basic progression from the city’s total population to the district figures, followed by a concluding comparison. This gives the reader a general sense of the response’s direction. However, the organisation is compressed into one paragraph, and the sequence of details is not consistently clear. For example, “If we dive deep in” introduces the district data informally, while “In contrast between different years” does not clearly connect the final comparison to the figures already given. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “In contrast” are attempted, but some are awkward or do not express the relationship precisely. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and supporting details, and organise the figures chronologically with clear references to Manhattan and the combined other districts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “percentage,” “decreased,” and “rise,” so the main topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or too informal for an academic report. “Other four states” misnames the districts, “average percentage” does not describe the combined share, and “dive deep in” and “day by day” are conversational or imprecise. There are also noticeable spelling and form issues, such as “New york” and “upto.” Aim for precise terms such as “districts,” “combined share,” “accounted for,” and “increased,” and avoid adding unsupported background information about residents living peacefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a comparison between Manhattan and the other districts. However, the range is limited, and frequent errors in sentence boundaries, articles, verb forms, and punctuation make the writing less controlled. For example, “New york ,a state of America, where foreign and resident live peacefully” is a fragment, while “the ratio increase upto” has an incorrect verb form and an incomplete grammatical pattern. Several sentences run together without appropriate spacing after full stops, and the final sentence begins with the awkward construction “In contrast between different years.” Use complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, maintain past-tense reporting consistently, and check punctuation and sentence boundaries carefully.

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