Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-18
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 5.0)
The line graph illustrates the proportion of Asian countries` population living in urban areas, namely the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia between 1970 and 2020, with predictions between 2030 and 2040.
Overall, it is evident that Malaysian population has the highest percentage, whereas the Philippines was lowest, while Thailand continually increased but Indonesia gradually reached.
It can be seen that the percentage of Malaysia was 30% in 1970. After that it increased in 1990 by 45% and jumped throughout 2040 by 80%. Meanwhile the population of the philippines was 30% in 1970 and also fluctuated in 2010 and remained stable in 50% by 2030.
Additionally, Thailand's ratio was 20% in 1970 and it was enhanced from 1990 to 2030, while over the period the Indonesian proportion was lowest at 15% in 1970.
Moreover, the population rate continued to grow from the year of 1970, and the population of Asian countries` population will grow steadily untill 2040.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to cover the main trends in the line graph, outlining the general upward trajectory for all four countries. However, the overview is rather vague ('Malaysian population has the highest percentage, whereas the Philippines was lowest, while Thailand continually increased but Indonesia gradually reached'), and contains several factual inaccuracies when compared to the source data. For example, the student claims Malaysia started at 30% in 1970 (correct) and jumped to 80% by 2040 (close to the actual 83.5%), but also states the Philippines was 30% in 1970 (actual is 32%) and remained stable at 50% by 2030 (actual is 50.5%, but it fluctuates considerably beforehand). Furthermore, the data points for Thailand and Indonesia in 1970 and subsequent years contain misreadings. While key features are acknowledged, the lack of precision and under-developed comparisons place this in Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into paragraphs, which helps establish a basic structure, including an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. However, the overall progression is somewhat disjointed due to abrupt transitions and confusing phrasing (e.g., 'while Indonesia gradually reached'). Cohesive devices are used mechanically ('Meanwhile', 'Additionally', 'Moreover'), and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as confusing the country name with its population ('the population of the philippines'). Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal logical arrangement within paragraphs lacks clear sequencing of comparative data. This performance aligns with the Band 5 descriptor for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses an adequate vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'proportion', 'urban areas', 'predictions', and 'stable'. However, there are noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, writing 'Asian countries` population' instead of 'populations of Asian countries' is awkward, and phrases like 'jumped throughout 2040' or 'was enhanced from 1990 to 2030' show a misunderstanding of how to use verbs of change accurately. Spelling is generally acceptable, but vocabulary limitations and awkward phrasing frequently cause strain for the reader, placing this response firmly in Band 5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as using subordinate clauses ('while over the period the Indonesian proportion was lowest'). However, control over grammar is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in prepositions, tense consistency, and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the percentage of Malaysia was', 'population of the philippines was... fluctuated... and remained'). Punctuation also suffers, notably with apostrophe misuse ('countries`'). While these errors rarely completely obscure the core meaning, their high frequency across the short text prevents the response from achieving a Band 6, making Band 5 a more accurate reflection of grammatical control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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