Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-01
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 depicts the percentage population of the four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with guessing for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, there is significant rose in population over the years. Malaysia recorded as the highest growth of rising population whereas Thailand recorded as least among all. Moreover, other cities also grew over the period.
For Malaysia there a maximum rise of population from 30% in 1970 to 80% at 2040. Whereas Philippines experienced as fluctuation pattern starting from 30 % in 1970 to 45% at 2040 which is roughly half of the Malaysia. For Thailand the start was least as compared to other but gets increased in population and reached its peak at 40% in 2040. Additionally for Indonesia the start percentage was the lowest at 15% in 1970 but there was a significant rise in population as recorded as the second most population city at 60% in 2040.
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 overall trend and specific data points for the four countries. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the description of the Philippines as having a 'fluctuation pattern' is inaccurate, as the data shows a steady, albeit slow, upward trend. Additionally, the term 'guessing' is inappropriate for a formal report; 'projections' or 'predictions' should be used. While the key features are identified, the comparison between countries could be more sophisticated to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall', 'Moreover', and 'Additionally', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as referring to countries as 'cities' in the final sentence, which creates confusion regarding the subject matter. Overall, the structure is sufficient to follow the writer's argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. There are several awkward word choices, such as 'significant rose' (should be 'significant rise') and 'recorded as the highest growth of rising population'. The use of 'guessing' instead of 'projections' and referring to countries as 'cities' indicates a limited control over academic register. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and the presence of collocation errors prevent a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow, such as 'Malaysia recorded as the highest growth' (should be 'recorded the highest growth') and 'Thailand recorded as least' (should be 'recorded the least'). There are also issues with preposition usage and article omission (e.g., 'for Malaysia there a maximum rise'). While these errors do not completely obscure the meaning, they are frequent enough to be noticeable.
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