Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-05
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 line graph depicts the proportion of people in four Asian nations who were living in cities from 1970 to 2020, along with projections for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, it is clear that by 2040 the highest urbanized country will be Malaysia, while Thailand will be the least preferred nation. Meanwhile, Indonesia overtook Philippines and Thailand and became the second most populated country.
Malaysia and Philippines both had around 30% of their population living in cities in 1970, whereas Indonesia stood at around 12%. From 1980 to 199, Philippines showed a rapid growth by approximately 15%. By 2010, it moved downward and reached under 45%, while Thailand and Indonesia increased gradually and reached nearly 28% and 40% respectively.
By 2040, Malaysia’s city population will be increase rapidly and became the most populated nation among all. Philippines will likely go up and will reach around above 50%. Indonesia become the second highest populated nation 2010.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the graph, including the start and end points and the overall trends. However, the analysis is somewhat inconsistent. For instance, the statement that Indonesia 'overtook Philippines and Thailand' is not clearly supported by the data provided in the text, and the reference to '2010' in the final sentence is confusing as it contradicts the future projection context. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision in describing the data points and the inclusion of inaccurate details prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure that all data points mentioned are accurate and that comparisons are clearly linked to the years provided in the graph.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a clear introduction and an attempt at an overview. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or misused, such as the transition 'Meanwhile' which does not logically connect the preceding sentence to the next. Additionally, the progression of ideas within the third paragraph is disjointed, particularly when jumping between countries and years. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the flow and logical progression of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe trends using terms like 'rapid growth,' 'moved downward,' and 'increased gradually.' However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'least preferred nation' to describe urbanization levels, which is not an appropriate collocation in this context. There are also minor errors in word form, such as 'urbanized' instead of 'urban' or 'urbanization.' To achieve a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that collocations are natural and contextually accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Malaysia’s city population will be increase rapidly' (incorrect verb form) and 'Indonesia become the second highest populated nation 2010' (missing preposition and incorrect tense). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, particularly when discussing future projections. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for tense consistency would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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