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 line graph depicts the proportion of various Asian countries population ,who were living in towns between 1970 and 2020,along with the estimation of upcoming years till 2040.
At a glance, it is abundantly clear that Philippines and Malaysia population was around 30% in 1970. However, these proportion rose differently , as the population of Malaysia showed an upward trend in the past years and it is expected to be growing in the upcoming years. While Phillippines population can be seen as climbing up gradually in 1980, and then increased dramatically by reaching at 50% of total population. It declined a little bit in 1990 and 2000, though the prediction still shows an increasing trend.
The Phillippines and Malaysia is exxpected to reach at 80% and approximately 55% respectively in future.
Probing further, it can be seen that the population of Thailand and Indonesia is comparatively low from the other two cities in the beginning. They showed a similar rising pattern till 1990 ,however the population of Indonesia surpassed the Thailand's population in 2000 and Phillippines population in 2010 ,ultimately reaching above 50 %.The prediction of Indonesia also shows an increasing trend.The population of Thailand remains constant till 2020,and it is expected to rise in the future.
Hence ,it is lucid that the forecast of every city shows an upward trend based on the previous increasing pattterns.However, the population of Philippines and Malaysia is showing more fluctuations as compared to the Thailand and Indonesia.They are also more in the proportion of people till 2000.
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 attempts to cover the main trends in the line graph, providing an overview and mentioning data points for the four countries over the given time period. However, there are several inaccurate data reports and misinterpretations. For example, the student states that the Philippines reached 50% in 1980 and then declined in 1990 and 2000, which contradicts the graph where the figure rose to 48% in 1990 and then decreased to 45.5% in 2000. Additionally, the phrase 'other two cities' is used instead of countries, and some projected figures are mixed up. Despite these inaccuracies, a general overview of the trends is present, placing the response at Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is divided into paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs addressing different country groupings, and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'At a glance', 'However', 'While', and 'Probing further' are used to structure the text, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. Logical progression is occasionally disrupted by confusing comparisons and inaccurate data reporting. Paragraphing is attempted adequately, but referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly with pronouns and ambiguous country comparisons in the final paragraph. This performance aligns with Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting less common phrases such as 'upward trend', 'climbed up gradually', and 'surpassed'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as referring to countries as 'cities' ('other two cities') and incorrect prepositions or collocations like 'reaching at 50%'. Spelling is generally acceptable, but vocabulary control is inconsistent and impacts precision. This sits comfortably at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
A mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the response, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'while', 'as', and 'though'. However, grammatical accuracy is hindered by frequent errors, particularly with missing articles, punctuation around commas, and incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'Malaysia population was', 'Phillippines and Malaysia is exxpected'). There are also agreement errors such as 'the prediction of Indonesia also shows'. Despite these frequent minor errors, communication is rarely entirely impeded, supporting a Band 5.5 score.
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