Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-19
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 total number of people living in the cities of four Asian countries: Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia from 1970 to 2020 and also providing figures for the next two decades.
Overall, Malaysia will have the highest percentage of population fom other countries. Indonesia started with the lowest percentage than Thailand but is predicted to surpass it in the future second next to Malaysia. Malaysia and Philippines also started with the same percentage of population but Philippines is likely to follow a dip till 2040.
Malaysia had 30% of population living in cities in 1970 and it continued to increase till 2020. It is expected that by 2040 around 85% of total population will live in cities. Philippines also started with a population of around 30% in 1970 which rose significantly from 1980 to 1990 and then it declined till 2010. In the following ten years the population increased and is expected to rise till 2040.
Indonesia had the lowest percentage of population than ther countries in 1970 at around 12% but it continued to surge till the percentage became equal to Philippines in 2010. However, the percentage is predicted to rise contnuously till 2040. Percentage of people living in cities of Thailand were a little less than 20% in 1970 and continued to rise the following twenty years and then became static till 2020 til
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student attempts to cover the main trends in the line graph, including general comparisons and specific country data. However, there are notable inaccuracies in data reporting. For example, the student states that Indonesia started with a lower percentage than Thailand in 1970 (Indonesia was 14% and Thailand 18%, which is correctly lower, but then states Indonesia was around 12% which is inaccurate), and claims that the Philippines is 'likely to follow a dip till 2040' when the graph actually shows the Philippines rising from 2020 to 2040. Furthermore, the response cuts off mid-sentence at the end. These inaccuracies and the incomplete ending prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is divided into logical paragraphs with an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs for specific data. However, progression is somewhat hindered by confusing comparative logic in the overview ('Malaysia will have the highest percentage of population fom other countries'). Cohesive devices are basic and sometimes repetitive, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. The sudden cutoff at the very end of the essay also disrupts the overall flow and structural completeness of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'surpass', 'surge', and 'static'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'fom' instead of 'from', 'ther countries' instead of 'other countries', and 'contnuously'. Additionally, collocation and preposition usage need refinement, such as 'percentage of population fom other countries' instead of 'among the four countries'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using time markers and relative clauses ('It is expected that by 2040...'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are issues with tense consistency and missing prepositions or articles. The sentence structure breaks down completely at the very end ('...and then became static till 2020 til'), leaving an unfinished thought. Errors occasionally cause confusion, placing this firmly in the band 5.5 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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