Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-09

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)

In 1970, the population of Indonesia were living on a cities its almost 14 percent and its increase in 1980 to about 16 percent and afterwards its increase from 16 to 22 percent in 1990. And in 2000, its almost becomes 27 percent and its gradually increases and increases by time and seems like that it would become 60 percent in the year 2040.

And the population of Thailand also increases day by day. In 1970 the population were almost 20 percent and it increases to 28 percent in the year 1990 and then the population almost remains the same until 2020. After that it will jump from 28 percent to 42 percent in the near 2040.

And in 1970, the population of Philippines remains 30 percent until 1980 but after it increased to almost 48 percent until 1990 and then started decreasing from 48 to 40 percent in 2010 and after that it again gradually increases to almost 55 percent in the near 2040.

And the population of Malaysia was 30 percent in 1970 and it jumped from 30 to 40 percent in 1980 and then it increased gradually from 40 to almost 44 percent until 1990. But after that it will boost up from 44 to 80 percent near to 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the task by describing the trends for the four countries. However, it lacks an overview, which is a critical requirement for Task 1. The information is presented as a list of country-by-country descriptions rather than a comparative summary. While the data points are generally accurate, the lack of a clear summary of the main trends and the absence of a concluding overview significantly limit the score. To improve, you must identify the overall patterns, such as the general upward trend in urbanization across all countries, and present these in a clear introductory or concluding paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is mechanical and repetitive. Each paragraph begins with 'And', which is an inappropriate way to start sentences in formal writing. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link ideas or show relationships between the data points. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall flow is disjointed. To improve, use a wider range of linking words such as 'furthermore', 'in contrast', or 'meanwhile' to connect your sentences and ensure that the transition between different countries and time periods is smoother.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'increases and increases', 'remains the same', and 'boost up' are either informal or lack the precision required for an academic report. There is little attempt to use a range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'experienced a steady rise'. The word choice is often simplistic, which hinders the ability to convey the data effectively. You should focus on learning specific collocations for describing graphs, such as 'a significant increase', 'a gradual decline', or 'remained stable'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are persistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the population of Indonesia were living', 'its almost becomes'), incorrect verb tenses, and awkward sentence structures. The use of 'its' instead of 'it' or 'the figure' is a recurring error. The range of structures is limited, relying mostly on simple sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct tense usage for past and future predictions, and avoiding the misuse of pronouns.

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