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 the population living in cities in four Asian nation: the 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 urban population of all four countries increased over time. Malaysia by far is the most urbanized country, whereas Thailand is the least.
In 1970, Malaysia started with a 30% population rate, followed closely by the Philippines, which showed a steady increase throughout the period and is expected to increase over 83% by 2040. Conversely, the figures for the Philippines fluctuated, dropping after 1990 before climbing again, and is anticipated to rise by 2040.
Meanwhile, Indonesia and Thailand were the least populated countries in 1970 accounting for 13% and 18% of the population respectively. The proportion of population in Indonesia increased throughout the timeframe, overtaking the Philippines and Thailand and is expected to peak at 60% by 2040. While Thailand's figures plateaued until 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 student provides a clear overview of the main trends shown in the graph, noting that the urban population of all four countries increased and identifying Malaysia as the most urbanized and Thailand as the least. Key features and comparisons are selected and reported, such as Malaysia's high figures and Indonesia's growth. However, there are some data inaccuracies and confusion between country names in the body paragraphs. For instance, the text states that Malaysia started at 30% and is expected to increase over 83%, but then attributes a drop after 1990 to the Philippines, followed by a mix-up where data points are misassigned or confused. Furthermore, Indonesia is stated to peak at 60% by 2040, whereas the graph indicates it reaches around 64% (and 60.5% by 2030). These minor inaccuracies prevent a higher band, but the overall task is addressed satisfactorily.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into four paragraphs, following a standard introduction, overview, and two body paragraphs structure. There is a logical attempt to group countries (Malaysia and the Philippines in paragraph three, Indonesia and Thailand in paragraph four). However, coherence is occasionally hindered by referencing errors and abrupt transitions, such as starting paragraph three with 'In 1970, Malaysia started... followed closely by the Philippines, which showed a steady increase throughout the period and is expected to increase over 83% by 2040. Conversely, the figures for the Philippines fluctuated...' where the contrast ('Conversely') is awkwardly applied or contradicts the preceding clause. Paragraphing is adequate, but logical progression suffers due to these structural confusions.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'urbanized', 'fluctuated', 'plateaued', and 'proportion of population'. However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'population rate' instead of 'urban population percentage', and 'least populated countries' when referring to urban percentages rather than overall population density. Spelling is generally accurate, but some phrasing is imprecise. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, fitting the descriptor for band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses ('which showed a steady increase') and time markers. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, particularly with dangling modifiers and incomplete clauses, such as 'and is anticipated to rise by 2040' missing a clear subject, and 'While Thailand's figures plateaued until 2020, and is projected to increase by 2040' which forms a sentence fragment starting with 'While'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical slips occur frequently enough to prevent reaching a band 7.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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