Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-22

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 table shows total population of new york city from 1800 to 2000. In 1800 the population was 79,216 then in 1900 the population increased and it became 3,437,202 then in 2000 the population became huge and it was 8,009,185 So, from the table we see that in the year of 1800 the population was 60,515 as percentage of total population was 76% then in 1900 it was 1,850,093 and the percentage was 54% there we can see a increasing and decreasing moment. Again in the year of 2000 the population was 1,538,096 and the percentage was 19%. In other districts the population was in 1800 18,701 and the percentage was 24% the in 1900 the population was 1,587,109 and the percentage was 46% and in 2000 the population was 6,471,089 and the percentage was 81% and this was the tables information. We see a huge difference of population and percentage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You include the main population figures for the city and both district groups, and the reported numbers match the tables. However, the response mainly lists data rather than selecting and summarising the key trends. It does not clearly state that the city’s total population rose substantially throughout the period, while Manhattan’s population share fell from 76% to 19% and the other districts’ share grew to 81%. The phrase “a increasing and decreasing moment” does not explain the change clearly. The response is also 141 words, below the required 150, and the ending adds no meaningful summary. To improve, give a clear overview and compare the contrasting trends before supporting them with selected figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows the broad order of the tables: total population, Manhattan, and then the other districts. This gives the reader some sense of the information’s sequence. However, it is presented as one long paragraph, with few clear divisions between the overview and supporting details. Linking is limited and sometimes awkward: repeated “then” and “and” join many figures, while “So” and “Again” do not establish precise relationships. The final sentence, “We see a huge difference,” repeats a general point without specifying the comparison. Organise the answer into a short introduction, an overview, and paragraphs comparing the district figures; use clear links such as “by contrast” to show how their shares changed.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use basic task-related vocabulary such as “population,” “percentage,” “increased,” and “difference,” and the reader can generally identify the figures being discussed. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or repetitive. “The population became huge” is an informal way to describe a numerical rise, while “a increasing and decreasing moment” does not convey the trend accurately. “This was the tables information” is also unnatural and adds little meaning. Aim for precise reporting language and vary how you describe changes and comparisons. For example, describe the total as having “risen sharply” and explain that Manhattan’s share “declined,” while the other districts’ share “increased substantially.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most of your sentences use simple structures, and the main figures are usually understandable. You also attempt to connect events across years, for example, “in 1900 the population increased and it became 3,437,202.” However, sentence boundaries and punctuation are not controlled consistently: the opening runs several statements together, and there is no full stop after “8,009,185” before “So.” There are also errors in articles and sentence construction, such as “The table shows total population” and “the population was in 1800 18,701.” Use complete, clearly punctuated sentences and practise patterns such as “In 1800, the population of Manhattan stood at…” to report figures accurately.

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