Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-12

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 4.5)

The renderd table provide the informationof total population of New York City who changes from 1800 to 2000. and the second and third tables illustrate that the changes population of the five districts of the city [Manhattan, Brooklyn,Bronx,Queens , Staten Island] over the same period.

It is vivid that , in the year 1800 there was 79216 population in New York City all five districts after that there was changes by [redacted phone] same city in 1900. and suddenly it was increased bt [redacted phone] in last year 2000.

Moving towards the next

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the topic and report the overall rise in New York City’s population, including the figures for 1800, 1900 and 2000. However, the account is very incomplete: it does not describe the district figures or the major shift from Manhattan holding most of the population in 1800 and 1900 to the other four districts accounting for 81% by 2000. The wording also misrepresents the figures as changes (“changed by 3,437,202”) rather than populations recorded in each year. The response is substantially below the required 150 words; 18 words copied from the prompt were excluded from the count. To improve, add a clear overview and compare the district populations and percentages using accurate descriptions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to move from an introduction to the citywide figures, and the years provide some chronological order. However, the response stops after “Moving towards the next,” so the final transition leads nowhere and the district information is never organised into a paragraph. Several sentences are joined with full stops and “and,” which makes the progression difficult to follow; for example, the 1800 and 1900 figures are run together. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and key comparisons, and connect complete ideas with clear links such as “By contrast” or “Meanwhile.” This would give the limited information a more coherent sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-relevant vocabulary, including “total population,” “districts,” and “increased,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make the meaning awkward: “renderd table,” “changes population,” and “there was changes by” do not express the data naturally. Spelling and spacing problems, such as “informationof,” “bt,” and “Brooklyn,Bronx,” also reduce clarity. Aim for precise reporting language and accurate forms, for example, “the table shows,” “the population rose to,” and “accounted for.” These choices would help distinguish a population total from an amount of change.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to form connected sentences and use past-tense reporting, but control is inconsistent. Errors in sentence structure and agreement appear in “The renderd table provide” and “there was 79216 population”; the latter also needs a more suitable noun phrase. The sentence beginning “after that” joins separate ideas without clear punctuation, and “it was increased” uses an unsuitable passive construction for describing population growth. Most structures are simple, with little evidence of controlled complex sentences. Practise accurate patterns such as “The population stood at … in 1800, before rising to … in 1900,” and check subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries.

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

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