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 most urbanized country will be Malaysia, while Thailand will be the least urbanized country. Meanwhile, Indonesia overtook the Philippines and Thailand and became the second most urbanized country.
Malaysia and the Philippines both had around 30% of their population living in cities in 1970, whereas Indonesia stood at around 12%. From 1980 to 1990, the Philippines increased sharply by approximately 15%. By 2010, it declined and reached under 45%. Thailand and Indonesia increased significantly and reached nearly 28% and 40% respectively. By 2020, Thailand had increased to around 30% of the population.
By 2040, Malaysia’s urban population will increase rapidly and become the most populated nation among all (around 80%). Approximately 60% of Indonesia’s population is projected to live in cities. The Philippines will likely go up and will reach above 50%. All four countries experienced an upward trend over the period, although the Philippines showed some fluctuations.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all parts of the task, providing a clear overview and selecting key features. You successfully identified the trends and made relevant comparisons between the four countries. However, the data reporting is occasionally imprecise. For instance, stating the Philippines 'declined' by 2010 is not fully supported by the visual data, and the description of the 1980-1990 period lacks clarity regarding the specific countries involved. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited with greater precision and that the chronological progression of the trends is described more accurately to avoid confusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile,' 'whereas,' and 'although' helps to guide the reader through the information. However, the transition between the historical data and the future projections could be smoother. Some sentences feel slightly disjointed, particularly in the second body paragraph where the jump between countries is abrupt. Improving the use of linking phrases to connect the past trends to the future predictions would enhance the flow of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'proportion of people,' 'urbanized country,' and 'upward trend' are used appropriately. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as saying Malaysia will be the 'most populated nation,' when the graph refers to the 'percentage of the population living in cities.' This is a slight misuse of terminology. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure that the terminology accurately reflects the specific data being presented in the graph.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Malaysia and the Philippines both had around 30%... whereas Indonesia stood at around 12%.' While most sentences are clear, there are occasional errors in tense usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'increased sharply by approximately 15%.' The grammar is generally stable and does not impede communication, but the range of complex structures could be expanded to demonstrate greater control. Focusing on more varied subordinate clauses would help elevate the grammatical score.
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