Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The given line graph illustrates 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 the percentage of the population living in the Indonesia and
the Philippiness experienced an increase over the period while Malaysia and Thailand experianced a decline some time.
In 1970, the percentage of population living in the 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 showed steady growth and it gradually increased to 60% by the end of the projection period. Similarly, Thailand stated at about 15% and this figure slightly increased to 30% in 1990 and after that, it significant rossed to 40% by 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 covers all four countries and provides an overview, fulfilling the main requirements of Task 1. However, the overview contains inaccurate statements regarding the trends, claiming that Malaysia and Thailand experienced declines 'some time,' which is not supported by the graph where both countries show an upward trajectory overall. Furthermore, some data points are misreported or generalized loosely (e.g., stating Malaysia increased to 80% by 2040 when the data indicates around 83.5%, and misreading the starting point of the Philippines). Despite these inaccuracies, the main comparative features are generally identified. The response meets the minimum word count. These limitations place the performance at band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction, followed by an overview, and then body paragraphs detailing specific country data. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Meanwhile,' 'In contrast,' and 'Similarly.' However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, and the overall progression is slightly hindered by the inaccurate overview statement. Paragraphing is present and helps structure the text appropriately. Cohesive devices are adequate for basic tracking of data, but greater precision in linking phrases would elevate the score. This performance fits the band 6.0 descriptor.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student attempts a range of vocabulary suitable for a data report, using terms such as 'illustrates,' 'percentage,' 'predictions,' and 'projection period.' However, there are several spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'persentage,' 'experianced,' and 'significant rossed' instead of 'significantly rose.' Some collocations are awkward or inaccurate. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the general information, these errors and spelling mistakes restrict the score. The lexical range shows an attempt at less common items but lacks precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating clauses with 'while' and 'as.' There are, however, frequent grammatical errors and punctuation lapses, such as missing capitalization ('indonesia', 'philippiness'), awkward phrasing ('Thailand stated at about 15%'), and incorrect verb forms ('significant rossed'). Despite these errors, the meaning is generally clear and communication is rarely impeded. The control over simple structures is evident, but attempts at complex reporting structures introduce persistent inaccuracies, placing this response firmly in the band 5.5 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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