Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-24

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 illustrates the information that the total population of New Tork City with five districts of the city Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island between 1800 to 2000 year.

Overall, the New York City population has increased dramatically in 2000 year, in the same year Manhattan declined, other districts slightly lower than the New York respectively.

In 1800, the New York City the population inclined to 79,216, whereas the Manhattan City fells the population to 60,515. However, in 2000, the population

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the topic and include two relevant figures: the city had 79,216 residents in 1800, and Manhattan had 60,515. However, the response is incomplete and does not provide a usable summary of the tables. The overview says Manhattan “declined” in 2000, but does not give its 2000 figure or explain that the other districts grew to 81% of the total. The claim that other districts were “slightly lower” is unclear and does not match the data: their population rose substantially. The final sentence stops after “in 2000, the population,” leaving the comparison unfinished. The response is also 79 words below the 150-word minimum, which limits coverage of the main features. Report the overall growth and the shift in population share, using key figures from all three years.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening sentence is followed by an overview and then a detail paragraph. Connectors such as “Overall,” “whereas,” and “However” show an effort to relate information. However, the progression is difficult to follow because comparisons are incomplete or unclear, particularly “other districts slightly lower than the New York respectively.” The final sentence is unfinished, so the response has no complete ending and the ideas do not develop into a coherent account of the tables. Use one paragraph for a clear overview and another to compare the figures across the years; make sure each sentence has a complete point and that linking words express the intended relationship.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “total population,” “districts,” “increased dramatically,” and “declined,” so the topic is recognisable. However, the range is limited, and several choices are inaccurate or awkward enough to obscure the intended meaning. “Inclined to” does not describe a population figure, while “fells the population” is not an appropriate expression for a decrease. “Other districts slightly lower than the New York” is also unclear and imprecise. The spelling “Tork” further reduces accuracy. Build a small set of precise terms for describing population data, such as “rose,” “fell,” “accounted for,” and “share,” and use them with the correct nouns and figures.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both simple and more developed sentence forms, including a contrast with “whereas” and a sentence beginning “Overall.” However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors make several statements hard to interpret. For example, “the New York City the population inclined” has an incomplete or misplaced sentence structure, and “in 2000, the population” is left unfinished. Articles and prepositions are also problematic in “between 1800 to 2000 year” and “In 1800, the New York City the population.” Practise forming complete subject–verb sentences and use consistent past-tense reporting for the historical data. Check each sentence for a clear subject, verb, and complete comparison before finishing.

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