Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-12

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)

from the table, we have found that from 1800 to 2000, the population of New York city grow rapidly. In 1800, where the population of New York city was only 80 thousands, later in 1900 the population was about grown quarterly. &in 2000 the population was double than 1900 which is very alarming.

on the other hand, in other sub cities like Manhattan the growth of the population was double in 1900 but therw was a filmy shock like in 2000 the population growth dwcreases.

thirdly, un other cities like Brooklyn, brongs, Queens the population became double in 1900 & surprisingly in 2000, the population growth increase about 5 times compare to 1900.

day by day, the population is increased impulsively which should stop immediately.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the broad rise in New York City’s population and note that Manhattan’s population fell by 2000 while the other districts grew. However, several comparisons are inaccurate or unclear: the total population in 2000 was more than twice the 1900 figure, not simply “double,” and the other districts’ population rose from about 1.59 million to 6.47 million, roughly four times, rather than “about 5 times.” The response also omits the key shift in population share, from Manhattan holding 76% in 1800 to just 19% in 2000. The final claim that growth “should stop immediately” is an unsupported opinion, not a summary of the tables. The response is 25 words below the required minimum, further limiting its coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is a basic sequence through the years and districts, and signposts such as “on the other hand” and “thirdly” show an attempt to connect points. However, the response has no clear paragraph structure or overview, and the progression between the total population, Manhattan, and the other districts is difficult to follow. Some linking phrases do not express the relationship accurately, while “day by day” introduces a general comment rather than developing the table summary. Organise the response into a brief introduction and overview, followed by grouped comparisons. Use links such as “By contrast” only where the data genuinely contrasts, and refer clearly to the figures or groups being discussed.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses a few relevant terms, including “population,” “growth,” and “other districts,” but the vocabulary is limited and several choices make the meaning unclear or informal. Phrases such as “grown quarterly,” “filmy shock,” and “increased impulsively” do not describe the data appropriately; “quarterly” also suggests a time interval that is not shown. There are spelling errors in “therw,” “dwcreases,” and “brongs,” and “sub cities” is not a natural way to describe the boroughs or districts. Aim for precise, neutral language for trends and comparisons, such as “increased substantially,” “declined,” and “accounted for.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt some longer sentences, but control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent, and errors sometimes obscure the intended meaning. For example, “the population … grow rapidly” needs a past-tense verb, while “the population was about grown” has an incorrect construction. In “the population was double than 1900,” the comparison is not grammatically formed, and “the population growth dwcreases” mixes an incorrect verb form with an unclear subject. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, including lowercase sentence openings and the use of “&” in place of “and.” Practise accurate past-tense reporting and straightforward comparative structures before adding more complex sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.