Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-09

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 4.0)

This table depicts various prospects of table representing New york all five districts. It shows population factors in New York city. The population level slight increase in the years according to table. Manhattan shows percentages of total population and other districts Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and staten island. These are explanation of table where population percentages are mentioned.

In the year 1800 the New york city shows slight increase in population whereas Manhattan shows slight decrease in inhabitants. while other districts include Brooklyn 24% change to slight fall in citizens On the other hand Bronx, Queens and staten island describe the significant rise in level which play important role in overall organization. Manhattan in year 1800 and 1900 show increasing capacity of population slight fall by 19 percent. The Variation in population in New York city substantially increase with time as shown in table. But on the other side the five districts are shows percentage level with time fluctuation. Manhattan also describe fall and rise in total population as it decrease in first year and decrease in later year. In the end the fluctuation explain various diversity and identify main objects that who all inhabitants are effected with passing year.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion4.0
Lexical Resource4.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.0
Overall4.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to accurately report the data provided in the tables. The student makes vague, often incorrect claims, such as stating Manhattan showed a 'slight decrease in inhabitants' in 1800, which contradicts the data. The summary lacks a clear overview of the main trends (e.g., the overall population growth of NYC or the shifting distribution among boroughs). Instead of selecting and reporting key features, the response provides disjointed and inaccurate observations. The task requires a precise summary of numerical data, but the student's analysis is confusing and does not clearly convey the information presented in the tables.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The essay lacks logical progression. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the ideas within the paragraphs are disjointed and difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are used ineffectively or incorrectly, such as the repetitive use of 'slight increase' and 'on the other side', which do not help connect ideas logically. The referencing is often unclear, making it difficult for the reader to understand which data point is being discussed. The overall structure is mechanical and fails to guide the reader through the information presented in the tables.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'increase', 'decrease', and 'table'. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'depicts various prospects of table' and 'identify main objects that who all inhabitants are effected'. The student struggles to use precise terminology related to data description (e.g., 'fluctuation', 'percentage level'). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the information accurately, and the errors occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the intended meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often distort the meaning. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the five districts are shows'), incorrect verb tenses, and awkward sentence structures. Complex sentence structures are attempted but are consistently faulty, leading to confusion. Punctuation is also inconsistent. While the basic meaning can sometimes be inferred, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar significantly hinders the clarity of the writing.

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