Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-19
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)
Four major Asian tourism nations are going to face population crisis soon.From the graph given, we can observe the difference, peaks and lows of population over the years.From the graph observed, in the year 1970, the countries had total population ranging from 15% to 30%.
In the year 1990,Philippines ranked highest among the four with a total 50% increase population. Later, there was a population downfall and then it slowly recovered and is predicted to rise again to 50% of total population. Thailand too has population increase but from 1990 to 2000, it almost had stagnant percentage.
Malaysia and Indonesia almost have similar increment, both nations are growing very fast in terms of population.
Atlast, the difference in percentage rise in each country as per prediction is Malaysia with highest 50%,Indonesia with 45%,Thailand with 26% and Philippines with 19% by 2040.
Thus, managing population is going to be a vital role for the government of these countries.
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 accurately interpret the data. You have misidentified the subject matter as 'tourism' rather than 'urban population' and incorrectly described the trends. For instance, you state the Philippines had a '50% increase' in 1990, which is not supported by the graph. Furthermore, the summary of the 2040 predictions is inaccurate based on the visual data provided. The response lacks a clear overview of the main trends and fails to make meaningful comparisons between the four countries. To improve, focus on accurately reporting the data points and identifying the overall trajectory of the urban population growth rather than speculating on social issues like a 'population crisis'.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into short, disjointed paragraphs that lack logical progression. While there is an attempt to use transition words like 'Later' and 'Thus', the connection between sentences is often weak or illogical. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the four countries. The structure is mechanical, and the lack of a clear introduction and overview hinders the overall flow. To improve, ensure each paragraph has a clear focus and use a wider range of cohesive devices to link your ideas more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic terms like 'increase', 'rise', and 'population'. There are also issues with word choice, such as referring to the countries as 'tourism nations' and describing the data as 'peaks and lows' without specific context. The phrasing 'stagnant percentage' is an attempt at more academic language, but it is used incorrectly in the context of the graph. To reach a higher band, you need to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'projected to reach'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Four major Asian tourism nations are going to face population crisis soon' (missing articles) and 'Malaysia and Indonesia almost have similar increment' (incorrect word form). Sentence structures are predominantly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods in several places. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and varying your sentence structure by combining simple sentences into more complex ones.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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