Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-08

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 LINE GRAPH SHOWS THE PROPORTION OF POPULATION IN DIFFERENT COUNTRY ; PHILIPPINES,MALAYSIA,THAILAND AND INDONESIA FROM 1970 TO 2020.

OVERALL,THE HIGHEST IN MALAYSIA IN 2040. THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE URBAN AREA INCREASED IN ALL FOUR COUNTRIES OVER THE PERIOD. PHILIPPINES WAS THE HIGHEST IN 1990.

TO BEGIN WITH, IN THE MALAYSIA , 30% PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN THE CITIES IN 1970. IT INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AND REACHED 80% IN 2040. ADDITIONALLY, IN THE INDONESIA , IT ROSE DRAMATICALLY. IN 1970,12% PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN THE URBAN AREA, AFTER THAT IT INCREASED , AND REACHED 60% IN 2040.

ACCORDING TO THE DATA, IN THE PHILIPPINES, 30% PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN THE URBAN AREA IN 1970. IT INCREASED IN 1990 TO AROUND 50%. THEREAFTER, IT DECLINED IN 2010, AND REACHED AROUND 43%.AFTER THAT, IT INCREASED SLOWLY AND REACHED 55% APPROXIMATELY IN 2040 . IN THE THAILAND, AROUND 4% PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN 1970 . IT INCREASED SLOWLY AND REACHED AROUND 45% IN 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall upward trend and note two useful features: Malaysia finishes highest, while the Philippines peaks around 1990 before declining and recovering. However, coverage is partial and some figures are inaccurate: Indonesia starts at about 14%, not 12%, and reaches about 64%, not 60%, in 2040; Thailand begins at about 18%, not 4%. The overview also says the Philippines was highest in 1990, but Malaysia was slightly lower then and the Philippines was indeed highest at that point; this comparison could be stated more precisely. The opening refers only to 1970–2020, despite the task including forecasts to 2040. Include clearer comparisons across countries and report the main stages more accurately to develop the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs grouping the countries. Sequencing within the Philippines description is especially clear, using “Thereafter” and “After that” to show changes over time. However, progression across the whole report is limited: the country-by-country descriptions are mostly separate, with few direct comparisons, and the overview’s points are not developed into a clear account of the main contrasts. Linking phrases such as “According to the data” add little, while repeated “it increased” makes connections mechanical. Improve cohesion by grouping related trends—for example, comparing Indonesia’s rapid rise with Thailand’s slower growth—and use references that clearly identify each country rather than relying repeatedly on “it.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a line graph, including “proportion,” “increased significantly,” “declined,” and “reached,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are inaccurate or awkward, such as “the highest in Malaysia,” “in the urban area,” and “30% people.” Repetition of “increased” and “reached” also reduces flexibility. Some country names are preceded by an unnecessary “the,” and “different country” is not an appropriate plural phrase. Aim for more precise collocations and varied trend language, while keeping the wording natural. For example, describe a country as having the highest urban share and say that a percentage of the population lived in cities.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most sentences communicate a basic trend, and you attempt some longer structures, including “Thereafter, it declined in 2010, and reached…” However, the range is limited, and frequent errors in sentence construction, articles, and punctuation make the writing less controlled. The opening sentence lacks a complete grammatical structure (“The line graph shows the proportion of population in different country”), while “Overall, the highest in Malaysia in 2040” is a fragment without a verb. Other examples include “30% people were living” and “In the Thailand,” where the grammatical patterns are faulty. Commas and spaces are also inconsistently handled, as in “43%.AFTER.” Practise complete overview sentences and accurate article and noun-phrase patterns, then proofread punctuation.

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