Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-12

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 5.5)

The graph illustrates the information about the percentage of population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, Malaysia will have the most population by the year 2040 and the population of Thailand will be least in the year 2040.

The population of Philippines was about 31 percent in 1970 which increased a bit in 1980 and then significantly rose to about 50 percent in 1990 but then fell to about 45 percent in 2000 and again had a declined to about 42 percent in 2010. It increased a bit in 2020 and is predicted to be about 55 percent in year 2030 and to about 60 percent in 2040. The population of Malaysia was about 30 percent in year 1970 and kept increasing till 2020 to about 75 percent and is predicted to be about 80 percent in 2030 and 85 percent in 2040.

Population of Thailand was about 20 percent in 1970 and it kept inclining till 1990 then fell to about 29 percent in 2000 and again increased to about 33 percent in 2020. It is predicted to be about 40 percent in 2030 and about 48 percent in 2040. Population of Indonesia kept increasing from 1970 to 2020 from about 12 percent to about 50 percent and is predicted to be about 60 percent in 2030 and about 65 in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the overall leaders and describe all four countries, with several figures broadly matching the graph. However, the overview is incomplete: it says Thailand will be least in 2040 but misses Indonesia’s sharp rise and its overtaking of the Philippines around 2010, as well as Malaysia’s clear lead. Some details are inaccurate or unclear. For example, the Philippines reaches about 48% in 1990, not 50%, and is around 50.5% in 2030 and 55.5% in 2040, rather than 55% and 60%. Thailand does not fall to 29% in 2000; it rises slightly to about 30.5%. Select the most important comparisons and report the main turning points more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic, understandable structure: an introduction, an overview, and descriptions of the four countries. The country-by-country sequence makes the information easy to locate, and time markers such as “in 1970” and “in 2040” help orient the reader. However, the progression is repetitive, with each country presented in a similar long sequence, and comparisons between countries are largely absent. The overview also does not prepare the reader for the most notable changes, particularly Indonesia’s rapid growth. Use clearer grouping—for example, compare Malaysia’s sustained rise with the fluctuating Philippines, then discuss Thailand and Indonesia—and connect related trends rather than relying mainly on repeated “and then” sequencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main trends, including “increased,” “fell,” “predicted,” and “percent.” Some variation in trend language is evident, and the meaning is generally clear. However, several choices are repetitive or imprecise: “kept increasing” and “increased a bit” recur, while “population” is used where the graph measures the percentage of people living in cities. There are also awkward collocations such as “had a declined” and “kept inclining.” Use more precise terms such as “the urban share,” “rose steadily,” “declined,” and “remained relatively stable.” This would make comparisons clearer and give the description a more appropriate academic tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You produce several connected sentences and attempt to describe changes across multiple time periods, so the response is not limited to isolated simple statements. Most of the intended meaning can be understood. However, sentence patterns are repetitive, and errors occur in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction. Examples include “had a declined,” “Population of Thailand,” and “in year 1970”; these should be “declined,” “The population of Thailand,” and “in 1970.” The long sentences joined by repeated “and then” also make control less secure. Practise combining accurate comparative clauses with varied sentence structures, and check articles and verb forms during editing.

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