Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-28

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)

fiet below shows the table o new york f city population from 1800 to 2000 that is divided in three districts ( manhatan, brooklyn, bronx, queen, staten land 0 over the same period in 1800 the population is 79,216 than its population grow and in 1900 the population instialy grow 3,437,202 people are not control yet in 2000 the population grow from 3,427,202 to 8,009,185 now people are waried abiut the living places because

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the overall subject and includes several accurate figures: the city had 79,216 residents in 1800, 3,437,202 in 1900, and 8,009,185 in 2000. However, it does not adequately summarise the tables: it gives no meaningful comparison of Manhattan with the other districts, and misses the key shift from Manhattan’s majority share in 1800 and 1900 to the other districts’ 81% share by 2000. The claim that people are “worried about the living places” is unsupported by the data, and the 2000 comparison uses an incorrect intermediate figure. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task minimally addressed. Include a clear overview and select accurate district figures to support it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.0

There is a basic chronological sequence, moving from 1800 to 1900 and then 2000, and the repeated reference to population gives the response a loose central focus. However, the writing is one continuous, unfinished passage rather than a clearly organised summary. Connections between ideas are unclear: “than its population grow” and “people are not control yet” do not explain how the figures relate, while “because” leaves the final thought incomplete. There is no separate overview or grouping of the citywide and district data. Organise the response into a brief introduction, an overview of the main trend, and a paragraph comparing Manhattan with the other districts; use clear links such as “whereas” and “by contrast.”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses a small set of relevant terms, including “population,” “districts,” and “grow,” so the topic is recognisable. However, vocabulary is repetitive and often inaccurate or difficult to interpret. Misspellings such as “manhatan,” “queen,” and “staten land” make district names unclear, while “instialy,” “waried,” and “living places” do not communicate precise data commentary. “Grow” is also repeated where the figures require distinctions between an increase and a decrease. Use accurate names and task-specific expressions such as “accounted for,” “population share,” “rose sharply,” and “declined.” This would make the comparisons clearer and provide a more suitable range for describing the tables.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to connect information in longer sentences, for example, “in 1800 the population is 79,216 than its population grow,” but sentence structure and verb forms are often faulty, making relationships between ideas hard to follow. Tense is inconsistent (“is” and “grow” alongside past dates), and clauses are joined without clear grammatical links. The final sentence ends with “because,” so it is incomplete. There is little evidence of controlled sentence variety or accurate complex structures. Practise writing complete past-tense sentences, such as “The population rose from … to …,” and use comparison structures like “while Manhattan’s population fell, the other districts’ total increased.” Check punctuation and sentence boundaries before finishing.

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