Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-07

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)

In the figure below shows the total population of New york city from 1800 to 2000. The 2nd and 3rd table show changes in the population of five districts of the city.

overall all city' Manhattan,brooklyn,bronx,Queens,staten island shown in the second and third table. Manhatten rose the highest population then other districts.

In 1800 to 1900 manhatten leads the population after 2000 other districts take parts above 81% of the population.the population of four other districts are increase in from early 2000 before that manhattan singly handle the population of New york city by in 1800 by 76% and In 1900 by 54%.

In 2000 the total population of new york 80 L this overall population is handle by manhatten totally. it handle total overall by it self then other districts came to take leads.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the broad topic and attempts to compare Manhattan with the other districts, including the shift from Manhattan’s 76% share in 1800 to 54% in 1900 and the other districts’ 81% share in 2000. However, several key facts are misreported: Manhattan did not lead in 2000, and the total population was about 8 million, not “80 L”; the other districts, rather than Manhattan, accounted for most residents then. The overview is unclear and the figures are too limited to summarise the tables adequately. The response also contains only 123 words, below the required 150, which restricts the development of the report. Add accurate population figures and clearly describe the overall growth and changing shares.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is an attempt to separate the introduction, overview and details into paragraphs, and the response follows a rough chronological order. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the overview is fragmentary (“overall all city' Manhattan… shown”) and later sentences combine several ideas without clear relationships. Connectors such as “then,” “after,” and “before that” do not consistently show the intended time sequence or contrast. References such as “it” and “other districts” are also unclear in places, especially in the final paragraph. Use a clear structure: introduce the tables, give an overview, then compare 1800, 1900 and 2000 in a logical sequence, with accurate linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses some relevant topic vocabulary, including “total population,” “districts,” “percentage,” and “leads,” so the reader can recognise the subject. However, the range is basic and repetitive, and several word choices or collocations make the meaning unclear: “take parts above 81%,” “singly handle the population,” and “take leads” are not natural ways to describe population shares. There are also spelling and capitalisation problems in names such as “Manhatten” and “new york.” Aim for precise reporting language such as “accounted for,” “population share,” “increased,” and “declined,” and check the spelling of place names. This would make the comparisons clearer and more appropriate for an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts simple statements and some longer sentences, but grammatical control is inconsistent and errors often obscure the intended meaning. For example, “In the figure below shows” has an incorrect sentence structure, while “the population of four other districts are increase” has problems with agreement and verb form. The sentence beginning “In 2000 the total population…” also lacks a clear grammatical relationship between its clauses. Punctuation and sentence boundaries are unreliable, and capitalisation is inconsistent. Practise forming complete subject–verb sentences, using past-tense forms for the historical data, and separating ideas with full stops. A few accurate, clearly controlled comparisons would be more effective than long, loosely connected sentences.

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