Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-10
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 illustrate the percentage of the population in four different countries in Asia who are living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with prediction for the years 2030 and 2040. The Asian countries includes Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
Overall it is noticeable that Malaysia has the highest population among other three nations. Whereas Indonesia has the second largest population and Philippines has the second lest population. However Indonesia has the lowest population among all nations.
A glance at the chart revels that in the year 1970 Malaysia had 30% of population that increased to 45% in the year 1990. Then after there was sudden growth in the number of population that was around 60 percent in 2000. Whereas it is estimated that in 2030 the population will skyrocket to 80% which has biggest population among all. Subsequently Philippines had 32% of population in1970 that rose to 50% in 1990 but there was decline in the number of the population in 2010. It is estimated that in 2040 the population would be approximatly 52%.
Further glance at the chart reflects that Indonesia had 19% of population in 1970 that rise to 28% in 2000. After 2000 there was drastic hick in the population by 2020 the population reached at 50% and it is estimated that by 2030 and 2040 the population will up to 58% to 62%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main features of the graph, but there are significant inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, you state that Malaysia has the 'highest population' and Indonesia the 'lowest', but the graph tracks the 'percentage of the population living in cities', not total population size. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the data. Furthermore, the overview is confusing and inaccurate regarding the trends. While you identify some key data points, the failure to correctly identify what the graph represents significantly impacts the task achievement score. To improve, ensure you carefully read the axis labels and the graph title before writing.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression is hindered by the inaccurate data reporting. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Whereas', 'Subsequently', and 'Further glance at the chart', but they are sometimes used mechanically or to connect ideas that are factually incorrect. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the trends. The overall flow is somewhat disjointed because the comparisons between the countries are not clearly structured or logically sequenced. Improving the accuracy of the data will naturally help the coherence of your arguments.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a limited range of vocabulary. While you attempt some descriptive language like 'skyrocket' and 'drastic hick' (likely meant 'hike'), the word choice is often imprecise or incorrect. For instance, using 'population' to refer to the 'percentage of urban dwellers' is a recurring error that affects the clarity of your writing. There are also spelling errors such as 'revels' (reveals) and 'approximatly' (approximately). To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to data description and ensure you are using words in their correct context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'The graph illustrate' (should be 'illustrates') and 'The Asian countries includes' (should be 'include'). There are also issues with tense usage and sentence structure, such as 'Then after there was sudden growth in the number of population that was around 60 percent'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction is noticeable. You should focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your sentence structures are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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