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 depicts the percentage of the people living in Philippines,Malaysia,Thailand and Indonesia from 1970 to 2040.
Overall,it is evident that,people living in urban areas has increased over the year.Malaysia being the most and thailand being least one among the four countries.Thailand is predicted to remain the least urbanised country.
In 1970,around 30% of the population in both Malaysia and Phillipines lived in cities. the figure for the Philipines rose slightly under 50% in 1990,before falling slightly to about 43% in 2010. it is then expected to rose ,reaching approximately about 55% in 2040.
Malaysia ,meanwhile showed an upward trend from 1970 to 2040 .its urban population increased from 30% to 80% by 2040.
Indonesia started with lowest figure in 1970 but gradually it increased from 15% to 65% in 2040.Thailand also increased gradually, from about 18% in 1970 to 30% in 1990 and expected to become 50% in 2040
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 cover all parts of the task by reporting information for all four countries over the given time period. An overview is attempted at the beginning, noting that the urban population increased and identifying Malaysia and Thailand at opposite ends of the scale. However, the overview is brief and lacks precision. Key features and comparisons are selected, such as Malaysia's strong upward trajectory and Indonesia's growth from a low starting point. Some data points contain inaccuracies or vague approximations when compared with the source data, such as claiming Indonesia started at 15% (it was 14%) and reached 65% in 2040 (it is 64%), or stating Thailand is expected to reach 50% in 2040 (it is 49.5%). Furthermore, paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, which affects the overall development of ideas. This performance aligns best with Band 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is structured into an introduction, a brief overview, and several short body paragraphs for individual countries. However, the paragraphing is underdeveloped, with some single-sentence paragraphs that disrupt the logical flow. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes mechanical, with repetitive use of time transitions like 'in 1970' and 'in 2040' without sufficient linking words to guide the reader through comparisons. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the lack of a cohesive structure prevents smooth progression throughout the essay. This corresponds to a Band 5.0 performance for Coherence and Cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, featuring basic terms related to urbanisation such as 'urban areas', 'population', 'countries', and 'trend'. However, the range is limited, and there is noticeable repetition of verbs like 'increased', 'rose', and 'started'. There are also lexical and spelling errors, such as 'Phillipines' instead of 'Philippines', and awkward phrasing like 'people living in Philippines' omitting the article. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success. These limitations place the lexical resource at a Band 5.0 level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though complex structures are often faulty or poorly punctuated. There are frequent punctuation and spacing errors throughout the text, such as missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'Overall,it is evident', 'Malaysia ,meanwhile') and missing capitalization in country names ('thailand'). Grammatical errors include tense inconsistencies and missing articles, such as 'people living in urban areas has increased' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'is expected to rose' (incorrect verb form). While communication is not entirely impeded, the high frequency of basic structural errors keeps the score at Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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