Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-09

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 below illustrates information about the percentages of the population in four Asian countries namely, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, Malaysia showed the highest increase in population whilst Thailand had the lowest population through out the years. All four countries are predicted to reach at its highest by 2040.

Malaysia initially started at 30% and is predicted to reach a peak of 80% in 2040 followed by Philippines starting at approximaately 32% and is predicted to increase significantly by 2040.

Other two countries showed a fluctuating trend Indonesia started at 13% in 1970 and is predicted to reach at its peak by 2040 whilst Thailand initially started at 19% and is predicted to rose sharply by 2040. However, in 2000 Indonesia and Thailand had the same percentage of the population living in cities at approximately 29%. Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are predicted to reach a peak of approximately 50%, 80%, 50% and 60% respectively. In 2040, the percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities were higher than 2030.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the four countries and give an overview of the broad upward direction, including the forecast that all figures are higher in 2040 than in 2030. However, the overview is not fully accurate: Thailand does not have the lowest urban share throughout, since Indonesia is lower from 1970 to 1990, and Malaysia—not all four countries—has the highest level by the end. Several details are also imprecise: Malaysia is about 84% in 2040 rather than 80%, and Indonesia and Thailand are both around 30.5% in 2000, not 29%. The response gives limited comparison of the distinct trends, especially Indonesia’s strong rise and the Philippines’ rise and subsequent dip. Select the clearest features and report them accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an identifiable introduction, overview and detail section, and it generally moves from the overall picture to country figures. However, progression within the body is weak: the discussion shifts from Malaysia and the Philippines to Indonesia and Thailand, then returns to all four countries in a repeated forecast sentence. The linking words “whilst,” “followed by,” and “However” do not always make the relationships between ideas clear, and the final comparison largely repeats earlier information. Organise the details into clearer comparisons—for example, group Malaysia and Indonesia as the stronger risers, then contrast them with the Philippines and Thailand. More precise referencing and fewer repeated claims would make the organisation easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant trend vocabulary, including “increase significantly,” “fluctuating trend,” and “reach a peak,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or repetitive: “population” is used where “urban share” or “percentage living in cities” would be clearer, and “highest” and “peak” recur without adding detail. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, such as “approximaately” and “through out.” Some collocations are awkward, including “reach at its highest” and “showed the highest increase in population.” Use accurate terms for proportions and trends, and vary them with phrases such as “rose steadily,” “climbed sharply,” and “levelled off.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast introduced by “However” and a sentence using “whilst.” Nevertheless, errors are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward or difficult to process. For example, “All four countries are predicted to reach at its highest” has an agreement and pronoun problem, while “Thailand … is predicted to rose sharply” uses the wrong verb form after “to.” The long sentence beginning “Other two countries showed…” also lacks clear sentence boundaries and contains a tense shift from past description to forecast. Practise forming predictions consistently (“is predicted to rise”) and check articles, agreement, and punctuation when joining clauses.

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