Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The graph provides the information about the proportion of the inhabitants living in urban areas between 1970 to 2020, along with projections for 2030 and 2040.
On the whole, the population of Malaysia surged from 30% to 83% while the residents of indonesia rose from 13% to 62%. The population of thailand and phillipines was slightly increased but remained lower as compare to other two countries.
At the beginning, existing population of Malaysia and Indonesia from 1970 to 2020 surged between 13% to 75% along with forcasts the growth rose upto 60% to 83%. Additionaly, Thailand as well as Philipines remained between 19 to 45% from 1970 to 2020 while after the projections the proportion lies between 39% to 50%.
To contrast Phillipines slightly rose upto 50% in the first place but there was a sudden drop from 50% to 40% while other three countries didnot experience a decline.
To conclude, these four Asian countries living in cities experience growth through out the year; However, this upward trend will increase in the future.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response attempts to cover the main features of the graph, outlining general trends and specific figures for the four countries. However, the task is only partially addressed because some of the data presented contains inaccuracies or confusion, such as stating that Indonesia rose from 13% while the chart indicates 14%, and mixing up past figures with future forecasts in a confusing manner. The overview provided in the conclusion mentions that 'these four Asian countries living in cities experience growth,' which is awkwardly phrased and lacks precision. While some main features are selected, the development of ideas is limited and sometimes unclear, which prevents the response from achieving a higher standing.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has some organization, dividing the text into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, but there is no clear overall progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or inaccurately, such as 'On the whole,' 'At the beginning,' and 'To contrast,' which fail to logically link the comparative data. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal flow of sentences within paragraphs is disjointed. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow which data points correspond to specific years and countries without constant cross-checking with the graph.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic message of urban population growth. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'projections,' 'proportion,' and 'trend,' but there are noticeable errors in word choice, form, and spelling, such as 'indonesia' and 'phillipines' capitalized incorrectly, 'forcasts,' 'Additionaly,' and 'didnot.' Phrases like 'residents of indonesia rose' rather than the percentage of residents also demonstrate a lack of precision. These lexical errors and limitations cause some distraction for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer uses a limited range of sentence structures, relying mostly on simple and moderately complex forms. Attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, leading to grammar errors such as subject-verb agreement issues and awkward prepositions, as seen in 'population of Thailand and phillipines was slightly increased' and 'countries living in cities experience growth through out the year.' Punctuation errors are also present, notably the semicolon misuse in the final paragraph. These frequent errors in grammar and punctuation cause some difficulty for the reader, though the core meaning remains partially accessible.
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