Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-13

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 5.0)

This line graph depicts information about the percentage of the population in four distinict Asian countries:Philippines,Malaysia,Thailand and Indonesia living in urban areas ober the 50 years from 1970 to 2020, with predictions of future from 2030 and 2040.

Overall,the population of Malaysia and indonesia steadily increased throughout this period,While the population of Thailand and Philippines slightly rose with fluctuation.

To look into the details, the 30% of total population of Malaysia was living in cities in 1970 which is significantly rose to around 75% at the end of 2020 and it can be increase around 80% until 2040,While the population of Indonesia was around 12% in 1970 and reached at around 50% and might be grow around 60% at the end of 2040.

In contrast, the

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the topic and include an overview, noting that Malaysia and Indonesia rose while the Philippines and Thailand changed less steadily. You also give some relevant figures for Malaysia and Indonesia. However, the response is incomplete: it stops at “In contrast, the” and does not report the trends for the Philippines or Thailand, nor compare all four countries across the period. Some details are imprecise, such as Indonesia starting at “around 12%” rather than about 14%, and the forecast is described only broadly. The response is 117 words, below the required 150; this limits the coverage and development of the main features. Complete the comparison and include the key changes and projected rankings.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph giving selected details. Phrases such as “Overall” and “In contrast” show an attempt to guide the reader through the information. However, the progression is cut off by the unfinished final sentence, so the comparison promised by “In contrast” never appears. The body also covers only two countries, leaving the account unbalanced and making the overall organisation feel incomplete. Some linking is awkward, particularly the long sentence joining Malaysia’s figures to Indonesia’s with “While.” Use separate, clearly focused sentences and organise the details into meaningful comparisons—for example, Malaysia and Indonesia’s stronger growth, followed by the Philippines and Thailand.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some suitable task vocabulary, including “percentage,” “predictions,” “steadily increased,” “fluctuation,” and “in contrast,” which helps communicate the graph’s subject and broad trends. There is some variety beyond basic words, but inaccurate spelling and collocation reduce precision: “distinict,” “ober,” and “significantly rose” are noticeable, while “it can be increase” and “might be grow” are not natural expressions. The phrase “population … living in cities” is repeated, and “the population of Malaysia” can be confused with the share of people living in urban areas. Aim for accurate trend language such as “the proportion rose,” “reached,” and “is projected to increase,” and proofread spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the overview communicates a general contrast between the countries. However, control is inconsistent, especially in the longer detail sentences. For example, “which is significantly rose” combines incompatible verb forms, and “it can be increase” and “might be grow” use incorrect verb patterns. The opening also needs clearer punctuation and spacing, while “from 1970 to 2020, with predictions of future from 2030 and 2040” has an awkward grammatical construction. These errors sometimes make the intended meaning harder to follow. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions for historical data and forms such as “is projected to increase” for forecasts; use shorter sentences when combining figures.

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