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 illustrate the percentage of population in four different Asian countries: Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. This data are prediction for future as well as past population growth, from 1970 to 2040.
Overall, it is clear that; population is likely to be increase in future for all countries. Malaysia will remain at top in term of population then, Thailand , Indonesia, and Philippines grows gradually.
To explain, In 1970, The Malaysia showed no variation until 1980, then significantly soared, end the period at 85 percent. Similarly, Philippines had almost same number of population until 1990, then showed slight decline in 2010, and will likely to be have around 50 percent in 2040.
Additionally, Thailand had 18 percent, and Indonesia contained lowest amount of figure just 12 percent. They both rose minimally until 2000, after that Indonesia's population dramatically increase, likely to be at second position. while Thailand showed moderate growth, after 2020 it slightly increases and come last.
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 describing the overall trends and individual country data shown in the line graph. However, there are significant inaccuracies in reporting the data. For instance, the writer states that Malaysia 'end the period at 85 percent' (the graph shows approximately 83.5%) and that Indonesia 'contained lowest amount of figure just 12 percent' (the graph shows 14% in 1970). Furthermore, the overview is slightly confused, as Malaysia is not at the top in terms of population size, but rather in terms of urbanisation percentage. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of precision and some misreadings of the graph prevent a higher score, placing this performance at Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into four paragraphs, attempting an introduction, an overview, and separate body paragraphs for the data. However, the logical progression is frequently disrupted by awkward transitions, such as 'To explain, In 1970, The Malaysia showed...' and 'Additionally, Thailand had 18 percent...'. Cohesive devices are used mechanically or inaccurately, and referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'Malaysia will remain at top in term of population then, Thailand , Indonesia, and Philippines grows gradually'). Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within sentences and paragraphs needs substantial improvement to achieve a clearer logical flow. This aligns with the descriptors for Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive, with several instances of unnatural phrasing and word choice, such as 'contain lowest amount of figure', 'dramatically increase', and 'will likely to be have'. There are also frequent word-formation and grammatical-lexical errors (e.g., 'graph illustrate', 'population is likely to be increase'). Although the writer attempts some less common vocabulary like 'significantly soared' and 'gradually', inaccuracies in collocation and word forms are noticeable and occasionally cause strain for the reader. This performance fits the Band 5.0 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response contains a very limited range of structures and frequent grammatical errors. There are numerous tense and verb-form mistakes throughout the text, including 'The line graph illustrate', 'This data are prediction', 'population is likely to be increase', 'will likely to be have', and 'increase' instead of 'increased'. Simple sentences dominate, and attempts at more complex structures frequently result in faulty syntax and punctuation errors. These persistent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader, matching the criteria for a Band 5.0 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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