Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-18
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 graph contains the information about the percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities ( Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) starting from 1970 till 2020 with the gaps of a decade (10 years) and also the predictions for the year 2030 and year 2040.
Philippines was leading the percentage of the population living in cities in the year 1970, just slightly above Malaysia by approximately 1% to 2 % where Malaysia was standing at 30% and Thailand & Indonesia were between 10% to 20%.
Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia kept a steady pace and were gradually increasing the percentage by 5% to 15% every decade and staying close to each other where Philippines showed a massive surge in the percentage of population living in cites by 10% to 30% increase every decade and leading the percentage race in the end.
Overall the increase in percentage of the population was very steady between Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia till the year 2040 but Philippines quickly shown the increase in percentage with a very wide margin
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, including the starting point in 1970 and the trends up to 2040. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. You describe the trends in general terms (e.g., '5% to 15% every decade') rather than citing specific data points from the graph to support your claims. Furthermore, the comparison between the Philippines and the other countries is accurate, but the lack of specific figures for the final years (2030/2040) makes the report feel incomplete. To improve, ensure you select key data points to illustrate the trends rather than relying on broad estimations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Overall' and 'starting from', to link sentences. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally repetitive, and the use of cohesive devices could be more varied to improve the logical flow. Overall, the structure is clear, but the internal cohesion needs more refinement to reach a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'massive surge', 'steady pace', and 'wide margin'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'Philippines quickly shown the increase' is grammatically incorrect and uses 'shown' where 'showed' is required. Additionally, the phrasing 'leading the percentage race' is slightly informal for an academic report. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices are consistently accurate and appropriate for the formal tone required in IELTS Task 1.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt to use complex sentences, there are several grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'Philippines quickly shown the increase' should be 'the Philippines quickly showed an increase'. There are also issues with article usage (e.g., 'Philippines' should be 'The Philippines') and some awkward phrasing. While these errors do not prevent the meaning from being understood, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent article usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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