Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-03

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 4.5)

The table chat illustrate the information about change from 1800 to 2000 in new york city population , 2nd and 3rd table shows population of different districts of city in different city.

To start with , in new york city ,in 1800, less population was shown with 79216.average population in 1900 and higest population was see in 2000 .in Manhattan 76 % was measure in 1800 year with 60515 population of people .but 19% population was illustrate in 2000 with high populatiom with [redacted phone] . in 1900 total population was 54%.

moving further,other district,both 1800,1900 was similer % was shpwn with 18701 and [redacted phone] population with 24,46 % .higest 81% was in 2000 with [redacted phone] population .

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. While the student attempts to report on the population data, the summary is incomplete and lacks a clear overview of the main trends. The data provided is often inaccurate or poorly interpreted (e.g., the claim that 76% of the population was in Manhattan in 1800 is not supported by the provided tables). The response lacks a coherent comparison between the districts and fails to highlight the most significant changes over the two-century period. To improve, the student must ensure all data is accurately transcribed and provide a comprehensive summary of the key features.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is divided into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The use of cohesive devices is limited and often mechanical, such as 'To start with' and 'moving further'. The referencing is frequently unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow which data points correspond to which districts or years. The sentences are often disjointed, and the lack of clear transitions between the general population trends and the specific district data hinders the overall flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.5

The vocabulary is very limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic terms like 'population', 'change', and 'show', and there are frequent errors in word choice and form (e.g., 'table chat', 'higest', 'similer', 'populatiom'). There is no attempt to use a range of vocabulary appropriate for describing statistical data, such as 'fluctuated', 'accounted for', or 'experienced a significant increase'. The spelling errors are frequent and occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the intended meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The grammatical range is extremely limited, consisting mostly of simple, error-prone sentences. There are frequent errors in basic grammar, including subject-verb agreement ('table chat illustrate'), article usage, and punctuation. The sentence structures are often fragmented or incorrectly constructed, which makes the text difficult to read. There is no evidence of complex sentence structures, and the high frequency of errors throughout the text indicates a lack of control over basic grammatical rules.

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

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