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 graph shows the percentage of people living in cities in four asian countries from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2024.

overall, the percentage of urban population increased in all four countries . malaysia is expected to have the highest figure by 2024, whiole the phillipines shows same fluctations .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the chart’s subject and make a broad attempt at an overview, noting that urbanisation rises overall and that Malaysia is projected to lead. However, the response is far too brief to summarise the main features, and the required minimum of 150 words is not met. The forecast endpoint is given as 2024, although the chart shows 2040; the Philippines is described as having “same fluctuations” without explaining its rise, fall and later recovery. There are no meaningful comparisons or supporting figures, and the claim that all four countries increase overall is not developed with evidence. To improve, report the main contrasts and key changes across the full period, using accurate dates and selected data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the graph and then gives an overall statement. The use of “overall” signals an attempt to distinguish the summary from the introduction. However, the answer is only two sentences, so it does not develop a clear progression through the countries or time periods, and there is no paragraphing to organise the information. The relationship between the claim about Malaysia and the comment on the Philippines is also abrupt. Build a short introduction, a distinct overview, and one or two detail paragraphs grouped by trends or comparisons. Use linking expressions to show contrasts and changes, rather than placing separate observations together without explanation.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use relevant basic terms such as “percentage,” “living in cities,” “urban population,” and “highest figure,” so the general topic is understandable. However, the vocabulary range is narrow and some choices are inaccurate or unclear: “same fluctuations” does not explain what happened to the Philippines’ figures, while “people living in cities” could be expressed more precisely as “the proportion of the population living in urban areas.” There are also spelling errors in “asian,” “whiole,” and “phillipines,” and country names should be capitalised. Aim to use accurate trend language such as “rose,” “declined,” “recovered,” and “is projected to reach,” supported by specific comparisons.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes a simple introductory sentence and a compound overview sentence, and the main meaning can generally be understood. However, the range of sentence structures is very limited, with no developed comparisons or complex clauses. There are also punctuation and capitalisation problems: “overall” should begin with a capital letter, and there should be no space before the full stop after “countries.” The phrase “the percentage of urban population increased” would be more naturally formed as “the proportion of the urban population increased.” The final sentence also needs clearer grammatical construction around the Philippines’ trend. Practise combining accurate clauses to compare countries and describe changes over time, while checking sentence boundaries and punctuation.

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