Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-18

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 depicts changes in the entire population of New York City between 1800 and 2000. The middle and last tables illustrate variations in the population of the five districts of New York city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the similar time frame.

Overall, the first table of population list are combined with the five destricts from New York City. Where first year is comparatively less population.

The leading table has all five districts population numbers combined with years in every 100 years from 1800 to 2000. Where for 1800, 1900, 2000 years the population are 79216, [redacted phone] anad [redacted phone] respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the subject and time span, and the three total-population figures you report are accurate. However, the response does not adequately summarise the tables: it gives no meaningful account of Manhattan or the other four districts, and the overview that the first year had a comparatively small population is too vague to capture the main changes. In particular, the tables show Manhattan’s share falling from 76% to 19%, while the other districts’ share rises to 81% by 2000. The response is also below the required 150 words: 17 words copied from the prompt were excluded from the count. To improve, include a clear overview and select key comparisons across all three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an introductory paragraph is followed by an overview and then a paragraph about the total-population table. This gives the reader some sense of the topic and sequence. However, the progression is weak because the final paragraph largely repeats information already introduced, while the district data are not developed at all. The sentence beginning “Overall” is unclear and does not function as a useful summary. Cohesive links such as “Where” are also used awkwardly as sentence openings. Organise the response into a clear introduction, an overview of the main trends, and focused detail paragraphs comparing the total population with Manhattan and the other districts.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “population,” “districts,” “illustrate,” and “time frame,” so the topic is generally understandable. There is also an attempt to vary wording with “depicts” and “variations.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “population list,” “the first table of population,” and “combined with the five destricts.” Spelling errors in “destricts” and “anad” further reduce precision. The repeated use of “table” and “population” also limits the range. Aim for standard data-reporting phrases such as “shows the population,” “accounted for,” and “rose substantially,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes mostly simple sentence patterns, with an attempt at a longer structure in “The middle and last tables illustrate variations … over the similar time frame.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but grammatical control is inconsistent. For example, “the first table of population list are combined” has problems with the noun phrase and subject–verb agreement, while “Where first year is comparatively less population” is an incomplete and unclear sentence. The final sentence also begins with “Where,” leaving a fragment, and “the population are” does not agree in number. Use complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and practise accurate agreement and article use. A wider range of controlled sentence structures would also help.

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

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