Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-09
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 multiline chart track proportion of population of residents living in urban areas of 4 Asian countries between 1970 to 2020 and there projection in the future from 2030 to 2040.
Overall, all the four countries rose steadily throughout the time. Malaysia consistently recorded as the highest proportion, while Thailand had the lowest figure throughout the period.
By digging deep, it is evident that in 1970 approximately 14% of the population lived cities of Indonesia, compared with 19% in Thailand, 30% in Malaysia and 31% in Philippines recorded as highest in initial year. Over the following two decades the population climbed up gradually in all 4 states reached 20%,25%,45% and 48% respectively in 1990.
The upward trend continued from 1990 to 2020. By 2010 Malaysia accounted for 70% which was popular among others, Indonesia reached at second level of population before crossing the Thailand and Philippines in 2000 and 2010 while the two other figures also increased substantially
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 trends and provides data points for the countries mentioned. However, the task requires reporting on the entire period, including predictions for 2030 and 2040, which are completely omitted from your summary. Additionally, the description of the data is somewhat mechanical, and the analysis of the trends lacks depth. While you identify the highest and lowest countries, the comparison between the four states could be more effectively synthesised. To improve, ensure you address all timeframes provided in the prompt and focus on highlighting the most significant changes or patterns rather than listing individual figures for every decade.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical. For instance, phrases like 'By digging deep' are not standard academic transitions. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the connection between sentences could be smoother. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the final sentence where the comparison between countries becomes difficult to follow due to a lack of precise cohesive markers. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear pronoun references would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'consistently', and 'substantially'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'multiline chart track', 'there projection', and 'popular among others'. These errors occasionally distract the reader. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that collocations are natural. For example, instead of 'climbed up gradually', consider 'experienced a gradual increase'. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' will also help improve your score.
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 affect the clarity of the writing. Issues include missing articles ('lived cities of Indonesia'), incorrect verb forms ('recorded as highest'), and punctuation errors. Some sentences are also grammatically incomplete or awkward, such as 'Indonesia reached at second level of population before crossing the Thailand'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and consistent tense control will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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