Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-17
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 compares the percentages of population living in four Asian nation: Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia between the years 1970 and 2020, with future predictions for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, it is evident from the graph that the population of all the four countries increased over time. Malaysia by far is the most populated country, whereas Thailand is the least.
In 1970, Malaysia started with 30% population rate, followed closely by Philippines, showed a steady increase throughout the period and is expected to increase over 83% by 2040. Conversely, the figures for Philippines fluctuated, dropping after 1990 before climbing again, and is anticipated to rise by 2040.
Meanwhile, Indonesia and Thailand was the least populated country in 1970 accounted for 13% and 18% of the population respectively. The proportion of Indonesia increased throughout the timeframe, overtaking Philippines and Thailand and is expected to peak at 60% by 2040. While Thailand plateaued untill 2020, and is projected to increase by 2040.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all four countries and spans the entire time frame, including past data and future predictions. An overview is present, identifying overall growth, though it mistakenly describes countries in terms of general population size rather than urbanisation rate (e.g., calling Malaysia 'the most populated country' rather than the most urbanised). Key features such as Malaysia's steep rise and Thailand's plateau are reported, though some comparisons are imprecise. While the overall trends are captured adequately, the misinterpretation of the metric as total population rather than the proportion of the urban population slightly weakens the precision of the task response, placing it firmly at a Band 6.0 level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into four paragraphs, following a logical structure with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs grouping the countries. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Conversely', 'Meanwhile', and 'While' are used to connect ideas, though some transitional links are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Malaysia started with 30% population rate, followed closely by Philippines, showed a steady increase'. Paragraphing is handled reasonably well, separating the introduction/overview from the body details, but referencing and cohesion are occasionally faulty, preventing a higher score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student attempts a range of vocabulary appropriate for a graph summary, including words like 'fluctuated', 'anticipated', 'overtaking', and 'plateaued'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies, most significantly confusing urbanisation rate with population size ('most populated country' instead of 'most urbanised'). There are also occasional word-form errors, such as 'Indonesia and Thailand was the least populated country' (plural subjects with a singular verb). The vocabulary is adequate for the task and communicates the general meaning, but lacks the precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The text employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'dropping after 1990 before climbing again', 'overtaking Philippines and Thailand'). However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are agreement errors ('Indonesia and Thailand was'), missing prepositions, and awkward phrasing that affects clarity ('Philippines, showed a steady increase'). Complex structures are attempted with mixed success, leading to occasional errors that require the reader to slow down slightly, though they do not completely impede communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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