Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-15

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)

The tables layout the total number of population of New York in all five districts and the population of each district with percentage.

Overall, new York population was increased from 1800 to 2000. The population of four districts (Brookly, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) rose maximum in 1900 to 2000, 81%. While only Manhattan district population increased 76% in 1800 and number of people rise with low percentage

The first table illustares the whole population of all five districts in 1800, 1900, and 2000. The number of individuals was increased every year and maximum number of individuals increased in 1800 (76%).

On the other hand, in remaining four districts the population gradually rose up however, in 2000 it was reached up to 81%. Moreover, population of Manhattan increased evey year but with gradually low pecentage. other four districts population increased with high percentage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the broad rise in New York’s population and the shift in population share from Manhattan to the other four districts. However, the response reports the figures inaccurately or unclearly: “rose maximum in 1900 to 2000, 81%” confuses the 81% share in 2000 with a population increase, and “maximum number ... in 1800 (76%)” is incorrect—the city’s largest population was in 2000, while 76% is Manhattan’s share in 1800. The overview also says Manhattan’s population increased, although it fell from 1,850,093 in 1900 to 1,538,096 in 2000. The response is 142 words, below the 150-word minimum. Select key figures accurately and compare both population totals and percentages across the three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is an attempt to organise the response into an introduction, an overview and two body paragraphs, and phrases such as “Overall” and “On the other hand” signal relationships between ideas. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the same points are repeated without a clear comparison: the overview and final paragraph both say that the other districts’ share reached 81%, while the body paragraph about the total population introduces the unrelated 76% figure. Some links are also awkward or incomplete, particularly “While only Manhattan district...” and “however, in 2000...”. Group the information by trend—overall population growth, then the contrasting changes in Manhattan and the other districts—and use linking phrases only where they accurately show the relationship.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the general topic, with relevant terms such as “population,” “districts,” “percentage,” and “gradually.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or repetitive, which sometimes makes the intended meaning unclear. For example, “rose maximum” does not clearly describe a share reaching 81%, and “number of individuals” is repeated where “population” would be more natural and concise. There are also spelling errors, including “Brookly,” “illustares,” “evey,” and “pecentage.” Use precise language for data trends and distinguish a population total from its percentage of the city total. Proofreading spelling and collocations would make the report clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including “The number of individuals was increased every year” and the contrast beginning “While only Manhattan district...”. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to interpret. Examples include the unnatural passive construction “was increased,” the incomplete “While” clause, and “in 2000 it was reached up to 81%,” where the subject and verb pattern are not controlled. Tense and sentence structure also need attention when describing changes over time. Practise clear comparative patterns such as “Manhattan’s share fell from 54% to 19%, whereas the other districts’ share rose to 81%,” and check that each sentence has a complete main clause.

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.