Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-27

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 5.0)

The given line graph illustrates information about the percentage of the population in four Asian nations living in cities between 1970 and 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040. These units are measured in persentage.

Overall, it can be seen that percentage of the population living in Indonesia and Philippiness experienced an increased over the period while Malaysia and Thailand experiance a decline some time.

In 1970, percentage of population living in Philippines started at about 35% and this figure slightly decreased to 30% in 1980. however, it increased to 50% by 2040. In contrast, Malaysia stood at nearly 30% and it significantly increased to 80% by 2040.

Meanwhile, Indonesia had the lowest level of the chart in 1970, but it gradualy increased to 60%. In contrast, Thiland stated at about 15% and this figure slightly increased to 30% in 1990 and after it significant ross to 40% by 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The student attempts to address the task by outlining the main features of urban population percentages across the four countries. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies in the data reported. For example, the student claims that Indonesia and the Philippines experienced a steady increase while Malaysia and Thailand experienced a decline, which misrepresents the actual trends where all four countries generally increased over time. Furthermore, specific figures are misread or vague, such as stating Thailand started at about 15% and reached 40% by 2040 (when it actually reaches nearly 50%). While an overview is attempted, the flaws in data reporting prevent a fully successful response, placing it in Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response is organized into paragraphs with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs discussing individual countries. Basic cohesive devices such as 'In contrast' and 'Meanwhile' are utilized to signal transitions between ideas. However, paragraphing is somewhat erratic, and the overall progression lacks smooth logical flow due to abrupt shifts between countries. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and logical connections between sentences are sometimes mechanical. This fits the Band 5.0 descriptors, where there is some organization but the overall progression lacks clarity.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic summary of a graph, featuring terms such as 'percentage', 'population', 'increased', and 'decreased'. However, there are several spelling errors ('persentage', 'experiance', 'gradualy', 'Thiland', 'ross'), word choice inaccuracies, and non-standard collocations ('lowest level of the chart'). The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive, which restricts the score to a Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The given line graph illustrates information about...'. However, grammatical control is weak, with frequent errors including capitalization issues ('Philippiness', 'Thiland'), missing articles ('percentage of population'), and tense inconsistencies. Punctuation errors are also present, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters ('however,', 'and after it significant ross'). These frequent errors can cause occasional difficulty for the reader, aligning with Band 5.0.

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