Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-31

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 provides us the information about how 3 population changes in the total population. So firstly we will discuss the new york city 1800 to 2000 it categories new york city (all five districts).In year 1800 the population is 79,216,In 1900 the population is 3,437,202 and lastly In 2000 the population is 8,009,185

The second the third table show changes in the population of the five districts of city (manhattan,brooklyn,bronx,queens,staten island) over the same period but now in this we will only gona discuss the districts (manhattan)

So in this districts manhattan they discuss year, population and as total percentage (%) of the total population. So in year 1800 the population 60,515 and as percentage(%)of total population is 76%,In 1900 year,the population 1,850,093,and as percentage (%)is 54% and the last one is that in year 2000 the population 1,538,096 and percentage (%) is 19%.

So the last third table discuss the other four districts which are (brooklyn,bronx,queens and staten) in this the year 1800 ,popoulation ia 18,701 and percentage 24%, in year 1900, the population 1,587,109 and percentage 46% and last one is in year 2000, the population is 6,471,089 and percentage is 81%

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You report the main figures for the city as a whole and for Manhattan and the other districts, and the numbers you give match the tables. However, the response mainly lists data rather than summarising the most important patterns. It does not clearly state that New York’s total population rose dramatically across the period, while Manhattan’s population peaked in 1900 and then fell, and the other districts grew to account for most residents by 2000. The opening also says “3 population changes,” which does not accurately describe the information. To strengthen the response, select these key trends for an overview, then use a few figures to support them rather than describing each table in turn.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response follows a recognisable order: it discusses the city total, Manhattan, and then the other districts. This helps the reader locate the information, and phrases such as “So” and “In year 1800” provide some basic links. However, the progression is largely a sequence of table-by-table descriptions, with no clear overview to guide the reader through the main comparisons. Several transitions are repetitive, and the long opening paragraph combines multiple points without clear sentence boundaries. Use separate paragraphs for an overview and the supporting details, and connect the figures by showing how the districts’ shares changed in relation to one another.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use relevant basic terms such as “population,” “percentage,” and “districts,” so the subject remains understandable. However, the vocabulary is repetitive and often imprecise, as in “the last third table discuss” and “in this districts manhattan they discuss.” Some expressions are not natural for describing data, including “we will discuss” and “as total percentage.” Spelling and word-form errors such as “popoulation” and “gona” also reduce accuracy. Build a small range of precise reporting language, for example “rose,” “declined,” “accounted for,” and “share,” and use standard names consistently, including “Staten Island.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Most of the response uses simple sentence patterns, and the reader can generally identify the figures being reported. However, grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between ideas unclear. Examples include “The table provides us the information,” “the population 60,515,” and “the last third table discuss,” where articles, verbs, or sentence structure are missing or incorrect. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, with several figures joined by commas rather than formed into complete sentences. Practise accurate simple reporting sentences first, such as “In 1800, Manhattan had a population of 60,515, representing 76% of the total,” then add a limited range of comparison clauses.

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