Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-07
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 data illustrates the proportion of the population with the prophecy for 2030 and 2040 in four Asian countries, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia between 1970 and 2020.
Overall, Malaysia and Indonesia show a steady increase during seven years, while the Philippines and Thailand face fluctuations throughout these years.
Malaysia recorded the highest percentage of population among other countries at 30% in 1970 and steadily rose at above 80% in 2040. Indonesia's population in 1970 was lowest among others around 12% which increased to more than 40% in 2040.
The two countries that showed fluctuations in their population are the Philippines and Thailand.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. Because the response is only 103 words, the information provided is insufficient. While you identify some main features, such as the growth in Malaysia and Indonesia, the analysis is incomplete. You fail to provide a detailed comparison of the data points for all countries across the full time period, and the description of the trends for the Philippines and Thailand is underdeveloped. To improve, you must ensure you cover all parts of the prompt, including a more comprehensive overview of the data trends and specific comparisons between the four countries.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into a brief introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, the progression of ideas is limited due to the brevity of the text. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall' and 'while', but the connection between sentences is somewhat mechanical. The final sentence is abrupt and lacks a proper conclusion or further development of the data. To achieve a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that you use a wider range of linking words to connect your observations more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher score. For example, using 'prophecy' to describe future predictions is inaccurate; 'projections' or 'forecasts' would be more appropriate. Phrases like 'steady increase' and 'fluctuations' are good, but the overall range is limited. You should aim to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to trends, such as 'upward trajectory', 'plateaued', or 'significant growth', to demonstrate a better command of lexical items suitable for describing statistical data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are noticeable errors that affect the quality of the writing. For instance, 'the proportion of the population with the prophecy' is grammatically awkward, and 'among other countries at 30%' is imprecise. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrasing. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on improving your control over complex sentence structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.