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 demonstrates the population proportion of Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia between 1970 and 2020, and predicts the expected population rise till 2030 and 2040.
Overall, the population in all the four countries surged over the period. However, Philippines' popullation experienced the highest growth, followed by Indonesia who is expected to become 2nd most populated country among the four.
To commence with, Malaysia started with 30%, escalated considerably and overtook Philippines in 1993 at approximately 47% followed by a sharp upward trend to reach over 80% growth in 2040. Similarly, Indonesia showed a substantial rise starting from only 14% in 1970, then overtaking Thailang in 2000 to reach about 25% before finally reaching about 40% in 2040.
On the other hand, Philippines was at the top in 1970 with just over 30%. This value experienced oscillation till 2020, and is oredicted to reach about 53% in 2040. Thailand began with about 19%, leveled off at almost 28% in 1990 before reaching about 45% in 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 | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student attempts to cover the main trends in the graph, presenting an overview and some specific data points. However, there are significant inaccuracies in reporting the data. For instance, the student states that Malaysia 'overtook Philippines in 1993', but the graph shows Malaysia starting below the Philippines in 1970 and intersecting around 1992-1993, yet the data values cited are imprecise or misread in places. Furthermore, the prompt asks for the percentage of the population living in cities, but the student frequently misinterprets this as 'population proportion' or 'population rise' rather than the level of urbanization. The overview attempts to capture the general increase, but misses some of the nuances of the varying rates. Overall, the task is addressed, but with noticeable inaccuracies in data interpretation.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and then two body paragraphs detailing specific country data. Cohesive devices are used to link ideas, such as 'Overall', 'To commence with', 'Similarly', and 'On the other hand'. However, the logical progression is occasionally hindered by imprecise referencing and awkward transitional phrasing. Paragraphing is generally appropriate for a Task 1 response, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be smoother to better guide the reader through the comparisons.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'surged', 'escalated', 'oscillation', and 'predicted'. However, there are several spelling and word-choice errors, including 'popullation', 'Thailang' (for Thailand), and 'oredicted' (for predicted). Additionally, the confusion between population growth and urban population percentage affects lexical precision. While meaning is generally conveyed, these inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and temporal markers such as 'between 1970 and 2020, and predicts...' and 'starting from only 14% in 1970, then overtaking...'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'followed by Indonesia who is expected to become 2nd most populated country' (where 'which' or rephrasing would be better, and an article is missing before '2nd'). Punctuation has minor issues, such as double spaces before 'almost 28%'. However, the errors do not impede overall communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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