Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below gives information about the percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

 

Student answer (Band 4.5)

The line graph illustrate the percentage of population living in the four different asian countries from 1970 to 2040.

Overall, it can be seen that upward trend seen in population in all countries, Malaysia with the most population whereas, other three countries population also moved upward gradually, Incontrary philippines faced flactuation in early years.

In 1970, Philippines the country with most population percentage just 30% sharp rise in 1980 then face slight downdard.in contrast, m

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify the topic and attempt an overview, noting that urban populations generally rise and that the Philippines fluctuates. However, the response is incomplete and does not adequately summarise or compare the four countries. The claim that the Philippines had the highest percentage in 1970 is inaccurate: it was about 32%, while Malaysia was close behind at 30%, and the Philippines was not clearly the highest across the period. There are no meaningful details about Indonesia or Thailand, and the response ends mid-sentence. The required minimum of 150 words is not met, which leaves the main features and supporting comparisons substantially underdeveloped. Include a complete overview and select key figures to show how the countries differ.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, beginning with an introduction and an overview before moving to a detail paragraph. The use of “Overall” and “In contrast” also shows an effort to connect ideas. However, the progression is very limited: the detail paragraph stops abruptly, and the countries are not presented in a clear, systematic order for comparison. Some connections are unclear, as in “Malaysia with the most population whereas, other three countries population also moved upward gradually.” To improve, use separate, purposeful paragraphs and group the countries by their trends or relative levels. Complete each comparison and use linking expressions only where the relationship between the figures is clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “percentage,” “upward trend,” “gradually,” and “fluctuation,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward, such as “most population” and “sharp rise” when describing a percentage. Spelling errors in “flactuation” and “downdard,” along with inconsistent capitalisation of “Asian” and “Philippines,” reduce accuracy. Build a more precise range for describing data, including terms such as “urban population,” “proportion,” “rose,” “declined,” and “remained stable.” Check spelling and choose collocations that fit percentages and trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt a few connected and comparative structures, for example, “whereas” and “In contrast,” but most sentences are short or incomplete, and grammatical control is inconsistent. The opening needs subject–verb agreement (“The line graph illustrates”) and an article (“the percentage of the population”). In the overview, “upward trend seen” lacks a complete verb structure, while the clause beginning “Malaysia with…” is also incomplete. The detail sentence “Philippines the country with most population percentage” omits essential sentence elements, and punctuation is missing around sentence boundaries. Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, then check articles, agreement, and punctuation before adding more complex comparisons.

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