Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The line chart shows the percentage of the population in Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020 with predictions for 2030 and 2040.
The four countries are the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The prediction of highest increase in population will be in the Malaysia.
The least population in 1970 has the Indonesia, that starts from 12% and rose up to 60% in the year 2040. The population of Thailand starts from 19% that get increase till 45% by the year 2040. Malaysia had the population of 30% in 1970 but by the end of 2040 it has most increase to 80%. At last, the Philippines has lowest increase in population which is 50% till 2040.
The country Malaysia and Indonesia have the highest prediction in increasing the population by at least 20% respectively. The Philippines has most upgrade in 1980 to 1990, however it gets lowering in percentage but predicted to be enhance in future. In the Thailand has remain stable till 2020 but from 2020 there will be expand in population by 15%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all four countries and the time frame provided. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the main trends. While you identified some data points, the reporting is occasionally inaccurate (e.g., stating the Philippines has the 'lowest increase' when the graph shows it starting higher than Indonesia). The summary lacks a synthesis of the overall trend, such as the general upward trajectory of urbanization across all four nations. To improve, focus on grouping the countries by similar trends rather than listing them individually, and ensure the data points cited are precise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often applied incorrectly or in a way that feels mechanical (e.g., 'At last', 'In the Thailand has remain'). The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which country is being discussed in relation to specific trends. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring clear subject-verb agreement will help the flow of your writing significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive. You rely on basic verbs like 'increase' and 'rise' without much variation. There are also noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'get increase', 'most upgrade', and 'predicted to be enhance'. These errors occasionally make the meaning slightly unclear. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'climb', 'surge', 'plateau', or 'fluctuate', and ensure you are using the correct word forms (e.g., nouns vs. verbs).
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the message. Common issues include incorrect article usage ('the Malaysia', 'the Indonesia'), subject-verb agreement errors ('the least population... has the Indonesia'), and incorrect verb tenses ('has remain', 'gets lowering'). While there is an attempt at complex sentence structures, these are often faulty. The majority of sentences contain errors, which places this in the Band 5 range. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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