Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-07

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 4.0)

The line graph illustrate the information about the percentage of polulation in four Asian cuntries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 to 2040. There are four Asian countries Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia.

Overall, th line graph give the information of percentage of the population living in cities. In Philippines, percentage of population in 1970 was 31 percent and in Malaysia percentage

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response3.0
Coherence and Cohesion3.5
Lexical Resource4.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy4.5
Overall4.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the chart’s subject and names all four countries, but it does not provide a usable summary of the main trends or comparisons. The only figure reported is that the Philippines was at 31% in 1970, which is close to the chart’s approximate 32%; the sentence about Malaysia is left unfinished, and no later data or predictions are described. The overview merely repeats what the graph shows rather than highlighting key features, such as Malaysia’s strong rise to the highest projected level or Indonesia’s substantial growth. The response is also far below the required 150 words: it contains 55 words, with 11 copied from the prompt excluded from the count. To improve, complete the report with a clear overview and selected comparisons across the period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening sentence introduces the graph, followed by a paragraph beginning with “Overall.” Naming the four countries also gives the reader some context. However, the response stops mid-sentence at “in Malaysia percentage,” so the ideas do not progress into a complete account, and there is no paragraph presenting comparisons or trends. The second paragraph largely repeats the first rather than adding a distinct overview. Use a clear sequence—introduction, overview, then grouped details—and connect comparisons with phrases such as “by contrast” or “while.” Completing each sentence and developing the paragraphs would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses a small set of relevant terms, including “percentage,” “population,” “countries,” and “predictions,” so the topic is generally recognisable. However, the vocabulary is repetitive, with “percentage of the population” and “information” repeated rather than using more precise language to describe change. Several spelling errors—“polulation,” “cuntries,” and “th”—also reduce accuracy. The phrase “give the information of percentage” is awkward; more natural choices include “shows the proportion” or “illustrates the share of the population.” Build a wider range of trend vocabulary, such as “rose,” “remained stable,” and “was projected to reach,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response shows an attempt to use both a longer introductory sentence and a separate overview sentence, but grammatical control is inconsistent. In “The line graph illustrate,” the singular subject requires “illustrates”; similarly, “the line graph give” should be “gives.” The opening also contains a list that would be clearer with punctuation, and the final clause, “in Malaysia percentage,” is incomplete, leaving the sentence unfinished. Most of the writing relies on simple statements, with little variety in sentence patterns. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and complete clauses, then use comparison structures such as “while the figure for Malaysia rose…” to report several trends in a controlled way.

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