Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-01

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)

This line chart compares the projection of city population until 2040 among four Asian countries.

Overall, it is predicted that a large number of the people will reside in the cities by 2040 while majority of the Malay people will be located in metropolitan cities.

In 1970, around 30% of the Malayisian citizens were living in the cities, and it sharply rose within next ten years until it experienced a slight drop in 1990. To end with, it is predicted that the almost 80% of the population will reside in the cities by 2040. Additionally, the proportion of indonesian people living in the metropolitan area were just above the 10% in 1970, and it remained stable until 2000. Afterward, there was a rapid increase in the number of city dwellers which stood at 40% by 2010. It is expected that around 60% of the indonesian will be residents of cities by 2040.

On the other hand, around 30% of the philipinoes were livining between the period of [redacted phone]'s. After that, there was a dramatical fluctation of the population growth rate in the cities. However, Thailand comparatively experienced a static growth rate with minor dips in 1990 and 2020. Overall, it is projected that almost half of the Thai and Filipino population will be living in the cities by 2040.

To sum up with that, there will be a massive rise of the city population by the year 2040, whereas majority of the malay people will settle in the cities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially, presenting an overview with some key features and comparisons, but containing noticeable factual inaccuracies when reporting the data. For instance, the text claims that in 1970 around 30% of Malaysian citizens were living in cities, whereas the chart shows 30% for Malaysia but misinterprets other figures, and it mistakenly asserts that Malaysia experienced a drop in 1990 (which actually occurred in the Philippines). Furthermore, the positioning of some ideas is not always clear, and details are limited and under-developed. To move to a higher band, the writer must ensure that all reported data points are accurately transcribed from the visual stimulus and that key trends are supported by precise comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text demonstrates some overall organisation with basic paragraphing and rudimentary transition attempts, such as 'Overall', 'In 1970', and 'On the other hand'. However, there is no clear overall progression throughout the essay, and the flow is frequently disrupted by inaccurate data reporting and awkward referencing. Cohesive devices are sometimes used mechanically or inaccurately, as seen in repetitive concluding phrases like 'To sum up with that'. To improve cohesion, the writer needs to ensure that ideas logically build upon one another and that cohesive ties connect sentences and paragraphs more naturally and effectively without redundant restatements.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task, with frequent reliance on basic terms and noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word forms. Examples of lexical inaccuracies include 'Malayisian', 'indonesian' (lowercase), 'philipinoes', 'livining', and 'dramatical fluctation'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'proportion', 'metropolitan area', and 'growth rate', but these attempts are marred by inaccurate spellings and awkward collocations. To achieve a higher score, the student must expand their lexical range, ensure correct word forms and spelling, and use vocabulary with greater precision and awareness of appropriate academic style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response employs a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences alongside some attempts at complex structures that are often faulty. There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that can cause difficulty for the reader, including problems with subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as in 'while majority of the Malay people' and 'were just above the 10%'. Prepositions within grammatical patterns are also misused, as seen in 'living between the period of'. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with good control, significantly reducing the frequency of basic grammatical errors.

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