Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-22

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)

These table illustrate that the total population of New York City from 2000 and onother hand the second and third tabke representing that the changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) in the same period.

In. New York City (all five districts) population was increased in each century and the highest population was in twenth century. Onother hand the population of Manhattan is also increased in each century and the maximum population was in nineteen century. And the other districts Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island have also same sitution.

In, New York City (all five districts) population in eighteen century was in 79,216 and in Nineteen century the population is 3,427,202 and in twenth century 8,009,185 the population was in New York City. On, otherside the 60,515 is population with 76% population was in Manhttan but in nineteen century population was 1,850,903 with percentage 54%.

In, Other districts the maximum population was in tewenth century the numbers was 6,471,089 and the percentage is 81% and the lowast

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response attempts to cover the task by discussing the overall population changes in New York City and the breakdown between Manhattan and the other districts from 1800 to 2000. However, the data reporting is incomplete and contains several inaccuracies. For instance, the writer states that the population of Manhattan 'is also increased in each century and the maximum population was in nineteen century', whereas the table clearly shows a decrease in Manhattan's population between 1900 (1,850,093) and 2000 (1,538,096). Furthermore, the response is incomplete, trailing off at the end ('and the lowast'). While an overview or main trend is partially attempted, the lack of careful reading of the data and the abrupt ending keep this at a Band 4.5 level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text is divided into short paragraphs, but logical progression is severely disrupted by poor sentence structure and repetitive transitional phrases like 'In, New York City...' and 'Onother hand...'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is incomplete. Cohesive devices are either misused or excessively repetitive, resulting in a disjointed flow that requires the reader to decode the intended meaning. Referencing is unclear, particularly when contrasting Manhattan with the other districts. Overall organisation falls below the standard required for Band 5, though some basic grouping of information is observable.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, relying heavily on words directly copied from the prompt such as 'population', 'districts', 'century', and 'percentage'. There are numerous spelling and word-choice errors, including 'tabke' instead of table, 'twenth' for twentieth, 'nineteen' for nineteenth, 'sitution' for situation, 'otherside' instead of other side, and 'lowast' for lowest. The range of vocabulary is extremely limited and inadequate for an academic task, constraining the score to a Band 4.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

Grammatical control is weak throughout the response. The writer relies heavily on simple sentence structures, and attempts at more complex constructions are consistently marred by severe errors, such as 'These table illustrate that the total population... from 2000 and onother hand the second and third tabke representing that the changes...'. Tense usage is erratic, switching inappropriately between past and present (e.g., 'population was increased' and 'the population is 3,427,202'). Punctuation and article usage are also faulty. Errors are very frequent and constantly impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 4.0.

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