Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-23

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 line graph illustrates the percentage of the population in four Asian countries over five decades, with predictions for 2030 and 2040. Overall, three countries experienced a steady rise in urban occupancy, while the Philippines recorded a slow rise.

Evidently, Malaysia experienced a steep rise in urbanisation between 1970 and 2020, from 30% to approximately 81%. Whereas, Thailand recorded a steady urban occupancy increase over the five decades.

Adding on, Thailand remained the lowest over the years with a slow percentage increase from 20% to roughly 49%. Indonesia and the Philippines, however, experienced a steady rise over the years and mantained an increase with about 9% yearl

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement. Because the essay is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence, the overview is underdeveloped, and the data for 2030 and 2040 is entirely missing. While you have identified some main features, such as the growth in Malaysia and Thailand, the lack of completion means you have not fully addressed all parts of the task. To improve, ensure you provide a comprehensive summary that covers all time periods mentioned in the prompt and complete your analysis of all four countries.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay shows some attempt at logical organization, with an introduction and a clear overview. You use cohesive devices like 'Evidently' and 'Whereas' to link ideas. However, because the text is unfinished, the overall progression is interrupted, and the paragraphing is incomplete. The abrupt ending makes the text feel disjointed. To achieve a higher score, ensure that your ideas are fully developed within each paragraph and that you use a wider range of cohesive devices to connect your points more fluidly throughout the entire report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'urban occupancy,' 'steep rise,' and 'urbanisation.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'urban occupancy' which is not the standard term for this context (urban population or urbanization is better). Additionally, there is a spelling error ('mantained') and the text ends abruptly, limiting the range of vocabulary displayed. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure your spelling is accurate throughout the entire response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'Whereas, Thailand recorded...' and the incomplete final sentence. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of completion prevents a full assessment of your grammatical range. To improve, focus on avoiding sentence fragments and ensure that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly. Proofreading for minor errors like subject-verb agreement and sentence completion will help you reach a higher band score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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