Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The line graph illustrates the percentage of population in four Asian countries, living in urban areas from 1970 to 2020, and also predicts the population between 2030 and 2040.
Overall, Indonesia and Malaysia recorded sharp increase in the percentage of citizens living in cities, while Thailand and Philippines population increased gradually.
Philippines and Malaysia both had 30% people living in cities in 1970. The former saw dramatic increase of 80% and the later rose up to about 45% by 2020. Thailand's and Indonesia's urban areas had about 15 to 18 percentage of people which inclined to 30% and 50% respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main features of the graph, the analysis is underdeveloped. You have omitted the future projections for 2030 and 2040 entirely, which are a key part of the task instructions. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are addressed, including the trends over the entire period provided. The current length is insufficient to provide a fully developed response, leading to a penalty for failing to cover the requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response 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. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'while' and 'the former/the later', but the overall structure feels mechanical. The lack of sufficient detail makes it difficult to establish a clear logical flow between the data points. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and use a wider range of linking words to connect your observations more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
You have used some relevant vocabulary such as 'urban areas', 'sharp increase', and 'gradually'. However, the range is limited, and there are inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'inclined to' instead of 'increased to' or 'rose to'. Additionally, there are minor errors in phrasing, such as 'percentage of population' (should be 'the percentage of the population'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary for describing trends and avoid repetitive sentence structures. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' will also help.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Thailand and Philippines population increased' (missing articles) and 'the later rose up to' (incorrect usage of 'later' instead of 'latter'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the grammatical control is inconsistent. To improve, focus on article usage (e.g., 'the Philippines') and ensure subject-verb agreement. Practicing more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or participial phrases, will help demonstrate a wider grammatical range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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