Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-13
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 proportion of urban citizens in Philipines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia between 1970 and 2020, with the expected population in 2030 and 2040.
Overall, it can be easily seen that all four countries has a dramatic rise population, starting at the lowest point in 1970 and being projected to reach the peak in 2040.
Malaysia and Indonesia saw a slightly rise in population, respectively from 30 to about 45 and around 12 to over 20 percent from 1970 to 1990. After that, both countries has climbed rapidly until now before being predicted to continue increasing for the next 20 years.
After almost remaining the 70s, Philipines percentage increased dramatically to reach about 47 percent on 1990 and dropped to 40% in 2010. Then, this country faced slightly rise in 2020. Meanwhile Thailand reached approximate 30% in 1990 and saw not much changes until 2020. Both countries are projected to increase in population in 2030 and 2040.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student successfully identifies the main visual features of the line graph, outlining general trends across the four countries from 1970 to 2040. An overview is provided, noting the dramatic overall rise in the urban population proportions. Key data points and comparisons are made across the countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in reporting specific data points (e.g., Malaysia and Indonesia starting points and trends are misread or generalized inaccurately in relation to typical graph representations). Furthermore, the breakdown lacks full development regarding the terminal projections for 2040. Nevertheless, all four countries are addressed and key features are highlighted, aligning well with the descriptors for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs focusing on different country groupings. There is a clear overall progression from 1970 through to 2040. However, cohesion is occasionally mechanical or clumsy, as seen in transitions like 'After almost remaining the 70s' and repetitive structural patterns. Paragraphing is attempted adequately, but internal cohesion within sentences sometimes breaks down due to awkward phrasing. Referencing is mostly clear, but the logical flow between sentences could be smoother. This level of organization and cohesive management sits comfortably within the Band 6.0 category.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts at less common items such as 'proportion', 'projected', and 'dramatic rise'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'all four countries has a dramatic rise population' (omitting prepositions) and 'faced slightly rise'. Spelling is generally acceptable, though proper nouns like 'Philipines' contain spelling errors. The range is sufficient to convey the main message, but lack of precision and collocation errors keep the lexical score at a Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating future projections and past descriptions. However, grammatical errors are frequent throughout the response. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('all four countries has'), missing prepositions ('reach about 47 percent on 1990' instead of 'in'), and awkward syntactic constructions ('After almost remaining the 70s'). While these errors rarely completely impede communication, they persist across multiple sentences, preventing the writing from reaching Band 6.0. Therefore, a Band 5.5 is awarded.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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