Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-26

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)

These table illustrate the data of different cities population all the tables have two main features one feature is the row which hold years while the other main feature shows the number of population of that specific year in the row.

If we look at the New York city which contain five district information, by 1800, population was about to 80,000 while in 1900 we can see a huge pump in the population but in 2000 it has increased by 150% which is slower then before.

In Manhattan city the case is same as we seen before by 1800, the population was 76% of total but it has a great pump which is 1.8 million but it is quite lower then

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. Furthermore, the content is incomplete; the analysis stops abruptly mid-sentence, failing to cover the data for all five districts or provide a comprehensive summary of the main features. The overview is missing, and the attempt to describe the data is fragmented and lacks the necessary detail to address the task requirements fully. To improve, you must ensure you complete the task by covering all provided tables and including a clear overview of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.5

The text lacks a clear structure. There is no paragraphing, and the flow of ideas is disjointed. Cohesive devices are largely absent, making it difficult to follow the progression of information. The introduction is confusing, as it describes the tables rather than summarizing the data trends. To improve, you should organize your response into clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and two body paragraphs detailing specific data points. Use linking words like 'whereas', 'in contrast', and 'subsequently' to connect your ideas logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.5

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'huge pump' are informal and inaccurate for describing statistical data. There is a lack of precise terminology required for an Academic Task 1 response, such as 'significant increase', 'fluctuated', or 'remained stable'. The word choice is often awkward, such as 'the case is same as we seen before'. You need to expand your range of vocabulary to include specific terms for describing trends and proportions to convey information more accurately and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

There are frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('These table illustrate'), incorrect tense usage, and awkward sentence construction ('population was about to 80,000'). The response relies on simple sentence structures, and there is no evidence of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence structures, ensuring subject-verb agreement, and practicing the correct use of articles and prepositions when discussing data and time periods.

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

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