Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-24
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 garph illustrates the data about the ratio of the population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with foretelling for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, the graph demonstrates a steady increase in urban population over the period. the proportion of people living in the cities has experiences a continuous increase in Malaysia and Indonesia. Mean while the ratio of people living in cities in the Philippines and Thiland increased in both years.
The proportion of people living in cities in Malaysia was 30% in 1970 and increasedd to approximately 73% in the year 2020 and is anticipated to be reach to 80% in 2030 and by 82% in 2040. While the ratio of people living in cities in Indonesia was 13% in 1970 and increased to 52% in 2020 and it is foreseen to increase approximatily 58% in 2030 and 61% in 2040.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response covers parts of the task by outlining general trends and citing data for Malaysia and Indonesia. However, it fails to mention the Philippines and Thailand at all, which is a significant omission given the four countries presented in the graph. Furthermore, the word count is 147 words, falling slightly short of the 150-word minimum requirement. Although an overview is attempted, the incomplete coverage of the data sources limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The text is organized into three paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, the progression is disrupted by mechanical and repetitive transitions such as 'Mean while' and 'While the ratio of people living in cities'. Paragraphing is under-developed, with the second paragraph running sentences together somewhat awkwardly. Cohesive devices are used, but their mechanical nature affects overall flow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'proportion', 'ratio', and 'anticipated', but also includes several spelling and collocation errors ('garph', 'foretelling', 'increasedd', 'approximatily'). There is also some awkward phrasing like 'is anticipated to be reach to'. The vocabulary is adequate to convey basic meaning, but lexical control is inconsistent.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response shows a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as subordinate clauses beginning with 'while' and 'as'. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including 'has experiences', 'is anticipated to be reach to', and punctuation issues like a lowercase starting letter in the second sentence ('the proportion'). Errors occasionally strain the reader but do not completely impede communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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