Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-29
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 graph illustrates information about inhabitants in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020 along with estimate for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, Malaysia with highest percentage of people whereas Thailand with least population.
In 1970, Indonesia was about 15% population and incresed gradually and reached around 45% in 2010. From that, number of people jumped considerably. In 2020, it was 50% of total population. It is predicted that this percentage will be 60 in 2040. In Thailand, there was rougly 19% people in 1970. After that, it rose slowly and about 30% in 2020. It is considered that this will be at around 45% in 2040.
In 1970, total population of Malaysia was 30%. But this number of individuals grew significantly in following years and about 72% in 2020. In 2040, this will be at roughly 82%. In case of phillppines, the total population was 31% in 1970. After some fluctuation it was at 42% in 2010. In 2040, this will might be at 50%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to address the task by reporting information from the graph about the four countries from 1970 to 2040. However, the overview is extremely brief and grammatically flawed ('Malaysia with highest percentage of people whereas Thailand with least population'), lacking verbs. Furthermore, the selection of data points contains several inaccuracies and missing elements. For instance, the student states that Indonesia was about 15% in 1970 and reached 45% in 2010, which is somewhat acceptable, but then claims it was 50% in 2020 (the graph shows 52%) and 60 in 2040 (actual is 64%). The comparisons are underdeveloped, and some key trends are missed. Because the content partially covers the main features with some inaccuracies, it meets the criteria for Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is organized into four paragraphs, attempting a basic structure with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs separated by country. However, the progression is disjointed. The overview sentence is incomplete, missing verbs and failing to provide a coherent summary of the general trends. Cohesive devices are basic and sometimes misused, such as 'From that' and 'In case of phillppines'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal logical flow within paragraphs is weak. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall arrangement lacks smooth transitions. This performance aligns with Band 5.0 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The lexical resource is limited and repetitive. The student relies on basic vocabulary such as 'percentage', 'population', 'people', and 'grow'. There are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'estimate' instead of 'estimates', 'rougly' instead of 'roughly', and the misspelling of 'phillppines'. Attempts to use less common vocabulary are minimal and often inaccurate. While the vocabulary is adequate to convey a basic meaning, the lexical errors and narrow range restrict the score to a Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and repetitive patterns like '[Subject] was [percentage] in [year]'. Complex structures are rarely attempted and when they are, they are often faulty, as seen in the truncated overview: 'Malaysia with highest percentage of people whereas Thailand with least population'. There are frequent errors in verb tenses, prepositions, and article usage, such as 'incresed gradually', 'was about 15% population', and 'this will might be at 50%'. These frequent errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, placing the grammar firmly at Band 5.0.
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