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 line graph tracks the data about the population size in the cities of four asian countries within a time period of 1970 to 2020 and with projections of one deacde from 2030 to 2040.
Overall, the line graph is comprised of four Asian countries Phillippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Malaysia has a increasing nmber of people living in cities and is preicted to ace all other countries in the upcoming years whilst Thailand has the smallest population size. Throughout the years, Indonesia and Philippines showed moderate population changes.
To be specific, Initially in 1970 the population in Malaysia surged rapidly and reached 40% however the poupulation ratio of Thailand rose slightly. Philippines experienced fluctuations in the time frame given and is prone of reaching the maximum city population for about 50% by the projected year 2040. Thailand had a standard ratio in between 1990 till 2020 and it is predicted to rise in the upcoming years.
Following this, all the countries city population is forecasted to rise in the coming years and reach the maximum of 80% predicted to be experienced by Malaysia. From 2000 to 2040 the population is increasing and is predicted to increase by Philippines.
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 response attempts to cover the main trends in the line graph, noting Malaysia's high future urban population and the growth seen in other countries. However, the student struggles with accurate data reporting and misinterprets certain figures. For example, stating that Malaysia reached 40% in 1970 is inaccurate (the actual figure is around 30%), and the phrase 'prone of reaching the maximum city population for about 50%' is confusing and imprecise. Furthermore, the overview lacks clarity regarding the overall trends across all four countries. While all countries are mentioned, the lack of precise data points and vague descriptions prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The text is organized into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. However, the logical progression is frequently disrupted by awkward referencing and mechanical cohesive devices. For instance, transitional phrases like 'To be specific' and 'Following this' are used awkwardly to connect loosely related sentences. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal structure of the paragraphs lacks clear cohesion, making the comparison between countries difficult to follow at times.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for basic communication, but it contains frequent spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'asian' (uncapitalized), 'deacde', 'Phillippines', 'nmber', 'preicted', and 'ace' instead of 'surpass'. There are attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'projections', 'fluctuations', and 'forecasted', but these are undermined by frequent inaccuracies and misuse of collocation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but grammatical accuracy is low. There are frequent errors in verb tense consistency, prepositions, and sentence construction. Examples include 'tracks the data about the population size in the cities', 'Malaysia has a increasing nmber', and 'is predicted to increase by Philippines'. Punctuation is also weak, with missing commas in introductory clauses. These errors occasionally cause strain for the reader.
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