Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-25
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 illustrates the fact and figures about the citizens of four countries: Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia who lives in cities from 1970 to 2020 and the predicted proportion of population for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, Every country is expected with the increment of their population throughout the timeframe. Meanwhile, Malaysia is expected to the highest number of resident in cities. In contrast, Thailand is predicted to least number of citizens.
The number of city residents in Malaysia begin with 30% in 1970 and rose steadily to 70% in 2020 with a slightest dip in 1990 with just above the 40%. Additionally, the population of cities is expected to be grown gradually till 80% in 2040. The figure of Indonesian urban residents faced no decrement over the entire time period however the number increased by crossing the progress of Thailand and Philippines till 2040.
Philippine's cities population experienced severe fluctuation from 1980 to 2010, it started from just above 30% and moved upwards from around 32% in 1980 to approximately 49% in 1990 However, it fell to 40% in 2010 and hoped for the slow growth to 50% till 2040. Thailand's cities people are also expected to increase around 46% till 2040.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student covers all four countries and mentions both the historical period and the projections, satisfying the basic requirements of Task 1. An overview is attempted at the beginning of the second paragraph, noting the overall upward trend and identifying Malaysia and Thailand at the extremes. However, the data points selected and reported contain several factual inaccuracies when compared with the source graph. For instance, Malaysia's starting point in 1970 was around 30%, but the text states it rose to 70% in 2020 (actual is 76%), and the dip mentioned in 1990 is inaccurate for Malaysia. Furthermore, some data reporting is vague or imprecise, such as 'hoped for the slow growth', which is unsuited to academic reporting. Overall, the task is addressed, but inaccuracies in data reporting prevent a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and subsequent body paragraphs dedicated to specific countries. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Meanwhile', 'In contrast', and 'Additionally' are used to connect ideas, though some are used awkwardly. Paragraphing is attempted appropriately, separating the general overview from the detailed country descriptions. However, progression within paragraphs can feel disjointed due to sudden shifts between countries and confusing referencing, such as mixing up trends. While the overall arrangement is coherent enough to follow, the mechanical use of cohesive devices and occasional unclear referencing place this at Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'proportion', 'fluctuation', and 'prediction'. However, there are frequent word choice and collocation errors, such as 'illustrates the fact and figures', 'expected with the increment', 'resident in cities', and 'hoped for the slow growth'. Spelling is generally acceptable, but phrasing is often unnatural and relies heavily on direct translations or awkward word forms. The range is sufficient to convey the general meaning, but persistent inaccuracies in word choice restrict the score to Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'The line graph illustrates the fact and figures about the citizens of four countries... who lives in cities'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('who lives', 'Every country is expected with', 'Thailand is predicted to least number'), missing prepositions, and awkward tense shifts. Punctuation is generally functional, but run-on clauses and missing commas occasionally hinder readability. Because errors are frequent and sometimes cause difficulty for the reader, this aligns with Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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