Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-13

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 Initial table chart illustrates information about the alterations in the total population of New York over the period of 1800 to 2000. The second and third table graph provides us data on the modifications in the total population of five districts of the city[ Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island] between 1800 to 2000.

Overall, it is evident that the population rose each year

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the topic and attempts an overview with “the population rose each year,” but this is too general and is not fully accurate for the district data: Manhattan’s population fell between 1900 and 2000. It gives no figures or meaningful comparisons, so the main features of the tables are not reported. In particular, it misses the sharp growth in the city’s total population and the shift from Manhattan holding most residents in 1800 to the other four districts containing most by 2000. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, which leaves the task largely incomplete. To improve, include a clear overview and select key figures and contrasts from each period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an introductory sentence is followed by a separate overview paragraph, and “Overall” signals the intended summary. However, the response ends after this brief overview, so there is no developed sequence of comparisons or supporting details. The first sentence is also overloaded, combining references to both sets of tables, while the bracketed list interrupts the flow. At this level, the reader can recognise the topic, but the ideas are not arranged into a coherent, complete report. Use a concise introduction, a distinct overview, and one or two body paragraphs grouped by the main trends; connect comparisons clearly with phrases such as “by contrast” and “whereas.”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response shows some range through words such as “alterations,” “modifications,” and “evident,” and the topic remains understandable. However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise for describing tables: “table chart” and “table graph” are redundant, and “provides us data” is an awkward collocation. “Initial table” is also unclear when referring to the first table. The repeated use of near-synonyms does not add precision, and the very short response offers little evidence of vocabulary for describing population changes or comparisons. Prefer standard report language such as “table,” “shows,” “population increased,” and “accounted for,” using terms consistently and accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes a few basic sentence forms and an attempted complex opening, but the range is narrow and control is uneven. In “The second and third table graph provides us data,” the compound subject requires a plural verb, and the noun phrase is not formed clearly. The time expressions “over the period of 1800 to 2000” and “between 1800 to 2000” also use prepositions incorrectly; use “from 1800 to 2000” or “between 1800 and 2000.” The overview, “the population rose each year,” is grammatically simple, but it does not demonstrate varied structures. Practise accurate comparisons and complex sentences, for example, “While the city’s population grew, Manhattan’s declined after 1900.”

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