Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-14
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 multi-line chart illustrates the percentage of population in four asian countries Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, living in cities from 1970 to 2020 with future predication for 10 years from 2030 to 2040.
Overall, Malaysia will remain the most populated country by the end of the time frame, followed by Indonesia. Thailand's population also increases steadily, whereas fluctuations can be seen in Philippine's population.
In 1970, Philippines had a total of 31% urban population, followed by Malaysia which had 30% of the population living in cities. Thailand had only upto 19% whereas Indonesia had the least with only 14% of the total population living in cities.
However, in 2020 Malaysia's urban population increased significantly 75% and by the end of 2040 80% of the population will live in city. Malaysia's number also increased dramatically and will be the second largest urban populated area among all the four countries by 2040.
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 parts of the task by identifying main features and making some comparisons among the four Asian countries. However, the summary is incomplete and cuts off before fully addressing the entire period up to 2040. The overview mentions general trends, noting Malaysia and Indonesia, but contains some confusion, such as referring to countries as being 'populated' rather than focusing strictly on the percentage of urban population. Furthermore, in the final body paragraph, the candidate mistakes Indonesia for Malaysia ('Malaysia's number also increased dramatically and will be the second largest...'), leading to a confusion of data points. Because the response is incomplete and contains significant inaccuracies in reporting the data, it meets the criteria for Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into four paragraphs, following a logical introduction, overview, and body structure. However, progression is somewhat disjointed due to data confusion in the final paragraph. Cohesive devices are used in a basic manner, such as 'Overall,' 'In 1970,' and 'However,' but referencing becomes unclear when the writer switches between countries without precise pronouns or clear subject continuity. Paragraphing is attempted, but the abrupt ending of the text limits the overall coherence of the response. Overall, the organizational structure is basic, leading to a score of 5.5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing trends, such as 'multi-line chart,' 'percentage,' 'steadily,' 'fluctuations,' and 'significantly.' However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'urban populated area' and confusing 'urban population' with the overall population of a country. Spelling is generally acceptable, but the limited control over precise collocations and terminology related to graphical data keeps the lexical resource at a Band 5.5 level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as using subordinate clauses with 'whereas' and 'which had'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and missing prepositions, such as 'percentage of population in four asian countries Philippines', 'Thailand had only upto 19%', and 'will live in city' (missing plural/article). Additionally, punctuation errors occur, such as missing commas around appositives. While communication is not entirely impeded, the frequency of grammatical slips places this performance in the Band 5.0 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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