Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-06

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 given line graph illustrates the proportion of people living in urban areas of Asian countries between fifty years and also the prediction for next ten years.

Overall, it is crystal clear that, the population growth followed the upward trend throughout the given phase.

Taking a quick glance, it is vividly clear that Malaysia had the highest population living in urban areas which was around 75% in 2020 and will increase by 10% by the next following years, it was followed by Philippines which was only 30% in 1970 and was fluctuating throughout the period with gradual increase by 20% in 1990 and then declined to approximately 40% in 2010 and was showing a steady increase in the next following years.

Moving further, Thailand with only 19% population in 1970 varied throughout the period and was expected to increase by approximately 8% population by the year 2040. However Indonesia was the lowest in the initial year with only 13% population and followd the upward trend and is expected to increase approximately by 63% population.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response presents an overview with some main trends, but the selection and reporting of data are uneven. While general movements for Malaysia and Indonesia are touched upon, details regarding the Philippines and Thailand contain inaccuracies or lack thorough development. For instance, stating that Indonesia is expected to increase by 63% misinterprets the data, as 64% represents the final proportion rather than the magnitude of growth. Similarly, some figures and timeframes are vague, such as referring to 'between fifty years' instead of specifying the exact timeline from 1970 onwards. To reach a higher level, the response needs to present a more accurate and fully supported selection of data for all four countries without misinterpreting the final percentages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement and attempts to organise the information logically using transition markers such as 'Taking a quick glance', 'Moving further', and 'However'. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical and referencing is occasionally faulty, leading to run-on sentences that tie multiple distinct country trends into a single, overloaded paragraph. Paragraphing is underutilised, as the entire body of data is compressed into a single block following the introduction rather than being broken down by country or period. To improve, the writer should separate ideas into clearer paragraphs and use cohesive devices more naturally to guide the reader smoothly through the comparative points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully employing terms related to trends such as 'proportion', 'upward trend', 'fluctuating', and 'gradual increase'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'by the next following years' and stating that Indonesia 'is expected to increase approximately by 63% population' instead of reaching that level. Spelling is generally correct, but word choices lack the precision and flexibility seen at higher bands. To achieve a higher score, the writer should incorporate less common lexical items more accurately and refine word collocations when describing statistical data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and introductory phrases. However, there are frequent structural issues, particularly run-on sentences joined excessively by conjunctions like 'and' rather than appropriate punctuation or subordination. Grammar and punctuation errors—such as missing articles ('followd the upward trend') and clumsy prepositions ('in the initial year')—occur regularly, although they rarely impede overall communication. To improve grammatically, the writer should break long, convoluted sentences into shorter, well-controlled statements and pay closer attention to verb tenses when describing future predictions alongside past data.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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