Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · 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 4.0)
The given table demonstrate the number of changes in the overall population of New York City from the period of 1800 to 2000, while the second and third table illustrates the number of changes in the population of five regions of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) during the same time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0
The response identifies the subject and time span, and it correctly names the five districts, so it is relevant to the task. However, it only introduces the tables and does not summarise any figures, trends, or comparisons. It omits the key features: the city’s population rose substantially overall, Manhattan’s population and share fell between 1900 and 2000, while the other districts’ combined population and share increased. The response is also far below the required 150 words: 44 words were counted, with 9 words copied from the prompt excluded. To improve, provide an overview and select several accurate figures to support the main comparisons.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
The sentence has a basic logical structure: it first refers to the overall population and then introduces the district tables, using “while” to connect the two parts. This gives the reader a general sense of the task’s subject. However, there is no overview, paragraph development, or progression from general trends to supporting details because the response ends after its introduction. The linking word does not establish a meaningful comparison between the data. To improve, organise the report into an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and one or two detail paragraphs, using clear links such as “By contrast” when comparing Manhattan with the other districts.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
The response uses relevant topic vocabulary, including “overall population,” “regions,” and the district names, and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the vocabulary is narrow and some phrases are imprecise or unnatural: “the number of changes in the overall population” suggests that changes are being counted, rather than reporting population figures, and “regions of the city” is less precise than “districts” or “boroughs.” The repeated use of “table” also reflects the limited range. Use accurate data-reporting language such as “population,” “rose,” “declined,” “accounted for,” and “combined total” to describe the figures and comparisons.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
The response attempts a complex sentence, joining two clauses with “while,” and its overall meaning remains clear. However, the sentence contains agreement errors: “The given table demonstrate” should be “The given table demonstrates,” and “the second and third table illustrates” should be “the second and third tables illustrate.” The phrase “from the period of 1800 to 2000” is also awkwardly constructed; “between 1800 and 2000” would be more natural. Since there is only one sentence, there is little evidence of a wider range of structures or consistent control. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and use several sentence forms to report trends and comparisons.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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