Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-14

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 this table it is depicting the population of New York City from 1800 to 2000.

It is showing that New York City population has gone up every decade which is a very serious concern.

Apart from that all other states except Manhattan shows decline in their population from 54% to 19%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 2.5

The response identifies the broad period and recognises that the city’s population increased, but it does not adequately summarise the tables or select the main features. The claim that the population rose “every decade” is not supported by the three data points, and calling this “a very serious concern” adds an opinion rather than reporting the information. The comparison is also misread: Manhattan’s share fell from 54% to 19%, while the other districts’ combined share rose from 46% to 81%; they did not decline. The response is largely incomplete and is 107 words below the 150-word minimum (43 words; the 9 words copied from the prompt are excluded). Include an overview and accurate comparisons across all three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the table, gives a general statement about the city total, and then attempts a comparison involving Manhattan and the other districts. Phrases such as “Apart from that” signal a shift, so there is some connection between the points. However, the answer is too brief to develop a clear progression, and the relationship between the figures is difficult to follow because the final comparison reverses the trend. There is no paragraphing or clear overview separated from supporting details. Organise the response into an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph comparing the figures, using linking phrases only where they accurately show the relationship between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate a few basic points, including “population,” “decline,” and “from 54% to 19%.” However, the range is narrow and some choices are imprecise for an academic table summary. “Very serious concern” is evaluative and does not describe a numerical trend, while “all other states” is inaccurate because the table refers to districts. “Gone up” is understandable but informal; more precise reporting language would improve the tone. Use terms such as “increased,” “accounted for,” and “combined share” to describe the data, and distinguish the city’s total population from each group’s percentage of that total.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response uses short, mostly simple sentence patterns, and the main ideas can generally be understood. There is an attempt to use a subordinate clause in “It is showing that…,” but the range remains very limited and the sentences are not consistently well controlled. In “all other states except Manhattan shows decline,” the plural subject requires a plural verb, and the sentence needs clearer grammatical framing to express the change in share. The opening, “In this table it is depicting…,” also has an unclear subject construction. Practise forming direct, accurate statements such as “The table shows…” and “Manhattan’s share fell, whereas the other districts’ share increased,” then vary these with correctly formed comparisons.

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

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