Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-16

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 commence table below illustration in the total populationb of New york fron between 1800 and 2000. Futhermore, other two table domestrate modifies in the population of five districts of the cities namely the manhatten, brooklyn, queen and island over the same era.

overall, the recorded the highest growth with manhattan. while manthattan the same had the lowest surged throughout the year.

cosistently recorded highes 76%t throughout the year 1800. while the second highest 81% in 2000. which was the accounted for manhattan

another cites were the similar figure like that the stood at third position at brooklyn 46% in the year of the 1900 and other cities like the bronx,queens,staten island the accounted for and was the considerable the lowest at 24%and 19% were the still lowest at the this same percentages in which the whole table that are i was expalined them in the above the whole lines of the table.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the broad subject and include some relevant figures, such as Manhattan’s 76% share in 1800 and the other districts’ 81% share in 2000. However, the main features are not accurately or clearly summarised. The overview says Manhattan had the “highest growth,” although its population fell from 1,850,093 in 1900 to 1,538,096 in 2000; the strongest growth was in the other districts. Several comparisons are also confused: 46% is the other districts’ share in 1900, not Brooklyn’s, and 19% is Manhattan’s share in 2000, not a share for the other districts. To improve, give a clear overview of the city’s overall growth and the shift in population away from Manhattan, then report the key figures accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is an attempt to introduce the tables and use linking words such as “Furthermore,” “overall,” and “while.” These give the response some basic signposting. However, the ideas are not arranged into a clear progression: the overview is followed by fragmented comparisons, and the final sentence combines several districts and percentages without making their relationships clear. The repeated use of “while” does not establish a reliable contrast, and references such as “the same” and “this same percentages” are difficult to interpret. Organise the response into a brief introduction, a distinct overview, and one or two paragraphs comparing the data by year or population group. Use linking expressions only where the relationship between the facts is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You attempt a range of task-related vocabulary, including “total population,” “districts,” “recorded,” and “percentage,” and the reader can recognise that you are describing changes over time. However, many word choices, spellings, and collocations are inaccurate or obscure meaning: “commence table,” “domestrate modifies,” “lowest surged,” and “considerable the lowest” do not express the intended ideas naturally. Some district names are also omitted or inaccurately rendered, making the comparisons less precise. Aim for straightforward, accurate language rather than forcing less familiar expressions. Useful choices include “shows,” “population changes,” “accounted for,” “rose,” and “declined”; check the spelling of place names and use “share” or “proportion” consistently for percentages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0

The response attempts to form longer sentences and use contrast, for example with “while,” but sentence boundaries and clause relationships are often unclear. Fragments such as “while the second highest 81% in 2000” lack a complete clause, while “which was the accounted for manhattan” does not connect grammatically to the preceding idea. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and sentence construction, as in “the recorded the highest growth” and “the whole table that are i was expalined.” Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including sentence openings in lowercase and incomplete stops. Practise writing complete subject–verb sentences first, then combine them with accurate contrast clauses, such as “Manhattan’s share fell, whereas the other districts’ share rose.”

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.