Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-29

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)

This given chart illustrate that the percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970s to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.Here we can see that chart is in upward trend. The four countries of Asia Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia has different percentage of population who lives in cities.

First of all, In1970 Philippines and Malaysia has approximately same population nearly 30% who lives in cities. Additionally, around 18% of people lives in cities in Thailand and Indonesia. In the Philippines country population lives in cities were fluctuated and in the future its predicted as a nearly 50% population lives in cities. However, Malaysia country has been predicated as a highest population rise in future which is nearly 80% among the all four countries which is remarkable.

Indonesia has been illustrates as a upward trend in migration from rural to urban which is predicted nearly 60%. Furthermore, Thailand country also has faced migration of the population to the urban area nearly 45%.

In conclusion, We can see that in the future lot of people moving to the cities from the village for better habitat and earnings.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, identifying the upward trends in all four countries. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you mention the starting points and the predicted end points, the description lacks a clear overview of the relative positions of the countries over time. For example, you mention Malaysia's rise to 80% but fail to clearly contrast this with the more moderate growth in Thailand or Indonesia. The inclusion of personal commentary in the conclusion, such as 'for better habitat and earnings,' is not supported by the data provided and should be avoided in an academic report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'First of all' to introduce data, which is more appropriate for a speech than a report. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'In the Philippines country population lives in cities were fluctuated,' which makes the sentence structure difficult to follow. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used in the correct context would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate to convey the basic meaning, but it is limited and repetitive. You rely heavily on basic phrasing like 'population lives in cities' and 'upward trend.' There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'Malaysia country has been predicated as a highest population rise' and 'Indonesia has been illustrates as a upward trend.' To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'proportion,' 'urbanisation,' 'projected,' and 'significant growth,' while avoiding repetitive sentence structures.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the response that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('The four countries... has different percentage'), incorrect verb forms ('has been illustrates'), and missing articles or prepositions. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. When complex structures are attempted, they often contain errors, such as 'In the Philippines country population lives in cities were fluctuated.' Focusing on basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that verb tenses are used consistently, will help improve your accuracy.

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

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