Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-04
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 gives information about the percentage of the population in the years from 1970 to 2040 including the predictions for one decade which are living in cities.
The overall trend is positive throughout the 70 years. The percentage of citizens started living in the cities as the time passes.
The percentage of individuals residing in the cities in Malaysia had a significant rise. In 1970 the percentage of residents in urban areas was around 32% and then it started rising. However, it had a fall in 1990 but it again rose swiftly.
In Indonesia, the trend towards the urban areas increased gradually, started from around 14% to 60%.
However, the pattern is a quite different in the Thailand and Indonesia. People used to live in cities till 1990 and then the proportion of residents decreased until 2020. However, slope shows that city residents rose again from 2020 to 2030 and it will increase onwards according to a estimation.
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 covers the main features but lacks a clear overview of the data. While you mention a positive trend, you fail to highlight the most significant differences between the countries, such as the rapid growth in Malaysia versus the decline in others. The data reporting is inconsistent; for instance, you mention Thailand and Indonesia together but provide inaccurate descriptions of the trends shown in the graph. Specifically, the claim that Thailand and Indonesia saw a decrease until 2020 is not supported by the visual data provided. To improve, ensure you accurately interpret the graph's key points and provide a more comprehensive summary that contrasts the four countries effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression is hindered by inaccurate data reporting and weak cohesive devices. Transitions like 'However' are used, but they often introduce information that contradicts the graph or does not follow logically from the previous sentence. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing multiple countries. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'in contrast', 'meanwhile', 'subsequently') and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through the data points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher score. You use basic phrases like 'significant rise' and 'increased gradually', which are acceptable, but there is a lack of variety in describing trends. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'the pattern is a quite different in the Thailand and Indonesia'. To improve, incorporate more specific academic vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', or 'projected to reach', and ensure articles are used correctly before country names.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'The percentage of citizens started living in the cities as the time passes' is awkward and grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'a estimation' instead of 'an estimation'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and article usage to improve accuracy.
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.