Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-21

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 percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with prdictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, it is immediately apparent that the proportion of urban population in all four countries increased over the period and is expected to continue rising. Malaysia had the highest percentage throughout most of the period, while Thailand consistently had the lowest, through it is projected to overtake Indonesia by 2040.

In 1970, Phillippines stood at 31% which was substantially higher than Indonesia at just 15%. Subsequently, the figure for Malaysia rose drametically to 70% in the 2020. By contrast, Indonesia saw a marginal increase to 44%.

Meanwhile, Phillippnes witnessed a dramatic growth from 32% in 1970 to 50% in 2020, before dipping slightly. Conversely, it is also worth noting that Thialand remained relatively stable, fluctuating around 20-30% throughout the period but is expected to rise to 53% by 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The candidate has attempted to cover the main trends in the line graph, providing an overview and selecting several key features for comparison. However, there are notable inaccuracies and confusions regarding the data points. For instance, the text states that the figure for Malaysia rose dramatically to '70% in the 2020' (the actual figure is 76%), and refers to a 'dip' for the Philippines after 2020 which is not supported by the visual data (where it rises to 50.5% and 55.5%). Furthermore, some data points are inaccurate compared to the raw data provided. These inaccuracies in data reporting prevent the response from achieving a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with a clear introductory sentence and an overall summary paragraph, followed by two body paragraphs discussing specific country trends. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Meanwhile', and 'Conversely' are used to connect ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is handled sufficiently, separating the overview from the detailed body paragraphs, which ensures a coherent overall arrangement even though the progression between some data points is slightly disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The candidate uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'proportion of urban population' and 'substantially higher'. However, there are multiple spelling errors ('prdictions', 'drametically', 'Phillippines' twice, 'Thialand'), and some inaccuracies in word choice or data description ('marginal increase', 'fluctuating around 20-30%'). These errors detract from the overall lexical quality, placing the response firmly in the band 6 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and time markers (e.g., 'which was substantially higher than Indonesia', 'while Thailand consistently had the lowest'). There are, however, grammatical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as missing articles and prepositions ('through it is projected', 'in the 2020'). Despite these errors, the structures used do not impede overall communication and the meaning remains clear throughout the response.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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