Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-02
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 line graph illustrates the percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities ( Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia) between 1970 and 2020, alongside projected figure for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, all four countries recorded continuous increase in their population over the 70 years period. malaysia is expected to see the most significant growth, becoming the nation with the highest percentage, whereas Thailand is forecasted to remain the lowest throughout most of the timeframe.
In 1960, the Philippines had the highest rate of urban dwellers at approximately 32%, followed by Malaysia at around 30%. Thailand and Indonesia recorded much lower figure, standing at roughly 18% and 13%, respectively. Over the subsequent two decades, the percentage of city residents in the Philippines rose to nearly 50% by 1990 before experiencing a slight decline to about 42% in 2010.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. Furthermore, the analysis is incomplete; you have only described the data up to 2010, failing to cover the remaining years up to 2020 or the projections for 2030 and 2040. While you successfully identified the main trends and provided an overview, the omission of a large portion of the data means the task is not fully addressed. To improve, ensure you cover the entire timeframe provided in the graph and expand on the comparisons between the four countries to ensure a comprehensive summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized with an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'whereas' and 'followed by', to link ideas. However, the progression is interrupted because the response is incomplete. The paragraphing is appropriate for the length provided, but the lack of a concluding summary or further body paragraphs makes the overall structure feel unfinished. To improve, ensure that each trend is clearly linked to the next and that you provide a balanced structure that covers all data points before concluding.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'projected figure', 'significant growth', and 'urban dwellers'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'recorded continuous increase in their population' (which should refer to the percentage of the population living in cities, not the total population) and 'lowest throughout most of the timeframe'. The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. Focus on using more precise collocations related to data trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the introductory complex sentence and the comparative clauses. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'projected figure' (should be plural 'figures') and '70 years period' (should be '70-year period'). Additionally, you mention '1960' in the body paragraph, but the prompt specifies the data starts from 1970, which is a factual error based on the provided information. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and attention to detail regarding tense and number agreement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.