Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The graph illustrates the proportion of the population in four Asian countries living in cities namely, Philippines, Malaysia,Thailand and Indonesia from 1970 to 2020 and the prediction of population for 2030 and 2040

Overall, the population of four countries were increased over a given period with the prediction of incline in 2030 and 2040.

Malaysia showed the upward trend over the period.However Philippines with initial less population and their proportion were reduced in 1990 and showed mixed trends

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

The response identifies the chart’s subject and gives a brief overview, noting Malaysia’s upward trend and that the Philippines fluctuated. However, it reports almost no specific data or meaningful comparisons, and the overview is partly inaccurate: all four countries rise overall, but the Philippines does not have the lowest starting proportion, and its decline occurs after 1990 rather than in 1990. The response also omits the distinct growth of Indonesia and Thailand and the projected figures. At 68 words, it is 82 words below the required minimum, which leaves the task only minimally addressed. To improve, include an overview of the main contrasts and support it with selected figures across the period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic structure: an introductory sentence is followed by a separate overview, and the ideas are broadly related to the graph. The use of “Overall” helps signal the summary, while “However” attempts to introduce a contrast. Nevertheless, the response is too brief to show a clear progression through the main features, and the final sentence combines several points without explaining their relationship. Punctuation also weakens the flow, as in “period.However” and “Malaysia,Thailand.” Organise the report into an introduction, a concise overview, and detail paragraphs comparing the countries’ trends; use linking expressions to clarify contrasts and changes over time.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses relevant chart vocabulary, including “proportion,” “prediction,” “upward trend,” and “mixed trends,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited, and some choices are imprecise or awkward: “population … were increased” does not clearly describe the percentage living in cities, while “prediction of population” suggests a forecast of population size rather than urbanisation. Country names are also not consistently punctuated in the list. A wider set of accurate terms for proportions and movement would make the summary more precise. For example, describe the urban share as “the percentage living in cities” and use verbs such as “rose,” “declined,” or “levelled off” for specific trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both a longer introductory sentence and a contrastive sentence, but the grammatical range remains limited and errors recur. In “the population of four countries were increased,” the subject–verb construction is incorrect; a natural form would be “the proportions increased.” The phrase “with initial less population” also has faulty comparative structure, and “their proportion were reduced” contains agreement problems. The final sentence lacks a clear grammatical connection between the Philippines’ starting level and its later changes. Sentence boundaries and spacing need attention as well. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions and subject–verb agreement, then use a few controlled complex sentences to compare trends.

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