Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-21
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 graph illustrates the information of four Asian countries and predict their upcoming future. On the x-axis years were written with the gap of 10 years. On the y-axis percentage of total population were written also with the gap of 10. As we see in the picture the population of the Malaysia was lower in the year 1990 but a upward trajectory will see in the year 2040. Philippines population was slightly high in the year 1990, down fall also seen in the year 2010 and it will also increase in the upcoming year 2040. Initially, the population of Indonesia was very low as compared to other three countries. It will rapidly increase in 2040. If we talked about the population of Thailand it showed level off from the year 1990 to 2020 than it will also gradually increase in the year 2040. This diagram showed that Malaysia will be the only country who has the larger number of population in the upcoming years.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to summarize the graph but fails to provide a clear overview or highlight the most significant trends. The description of the data is inaccurate; for example, stating that Malaysia had a lower population in 1990 compared to other years is vague, and the claim that Malaysia will have the 'larger number of population' is a misinterpretation of the data, which shows percentages of urban population rather than total population numbers. The response lacks a clear focus on the main features, such as the overall upward trend across all countries, and instead provides a disjointed list of observations. To improve, focus on identifying the highest and lowest points and the overall growth patterns.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is written as a single paragraph, which hinders logical progression. While there are some attempts at linking ideas using words like 'Initially' and 'If we talked about', the overall structure is mechanical and repetitive. The referencing is often unclear, and the lack of paragraphing makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the four countries. To reach a higher band, you should organize your response into distinct paragraphs: an introduction, an overview of the main trends, and two body paragraphs detailing specific data points and comparisons.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'population', 'increase', and 'year'. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'predict their upcoming future' (redundant) and 'upward trajectory will see' (incorrect passive voice usage). The term 'level off' is used to describe Thailand, but the description of the data is imprecise. To improve, you should incorporate a wider range of vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', 'surpassed', or 'projected to reach'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with article usage ('the population of the Malaysia'), subject-verb agreement ('percentage... were written'), and tense consistency ('will see' instead of 'is seen'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and the attempts at complex sentences are often faulty, such as 'This diagram showed that Malaysia will be the only country who has...'. Improving your control over basic sentence construction and ensuring consistent tense usage when describing past and future data is essential for a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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