Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28
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)
There are three tables in which one of them shows the population of 5 districts New York in last three centeries which increase significantly in 18th century and than in the second table it show population growth in mantattan in which it also show percentage of population in each century and then in the third table it show the population ratio of other four districts in last three centeries by compairing mantattan has more increase in population than all other districts collectivily so by look at it the overall increase in population was greatest in the 18th century .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0
The response is severely under-length, containing only 99 words against the required 150-word minimum, which heavily restricts its ability to fully cover all parts of the task. While the student attempts to summarise the general trend of population growth and mentions Manhattan alongside the other districts, the overview is confused by inaccurate historical references (such as '18th century' instead of the 1800s to 2000s) and misinterprets the comparative data—falsely claiming that Manhattan grew more than all other districts collectively by 2000, whereas the tables show 'Other districts' rose to 6,471,089 while Manhattan was 1,538,096. Because key comparisons are missing and data is misread, this corresponds to a Band 4.0 level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
The entire response consists of a single, extremely long and rambling run-on sentence spanning 99 words without a single period, full stop, or proper paragraph break. Cohesive devices are virtually absent except for repetitive use of 'and then' and 'so'. There is no logical paragraphing structure whatsoever. The sequencing of ideas lacks clear progression or division between the overview and the body details, creating significant strain for the reader. This performance aligns directly with the Band 4 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion, where information and ideas are not arranged coherently and cohesive devices are inadequate or repetitive.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.0
The vocabulary used is very basic and repetitive, featuring words like 'population', 'districts', 'increase', and 'table' multiple times. There are several spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'centeries' for centuries, 'mantattan' for Manhattan, 'compairing' for comparing, 'collectivily' for collectively, and 'look at it' for looking at it. The student attempts some less common terms like 'significantly', but due to frequent spelling errors and limited control, the lexical range remains narrow and basic, fitting the Band 4.0 criteria where vocabulary is basic and repetitive, and errors occasionally strain the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0
Grammatically, the response demonstrates a very limited range of structures. It consists entirely of one massive, poorly structured sentence joined by coordinating conjunctions ('and', 'than', 'so') without any independent complex clauses used accurately. Punctuation is entirely absent internally, leading to severe run-on errors. There are frequent grammatical lapses and tense confusions (e.g., 'one of them shows', 'it show', 'increase significantly'). Because of the total absence of punctuation and the inability to form correct sentence boundaries, the grammatical control reflects Band 4.0 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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