Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-10

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 5.0)

The Graph illustrates the facts for the population of asian countries in cities (philippines,malaysia,Thailand and indonesia) from the period of 1970 and 2020,it also gives knowledge of 2030 and 2040 respectively.

the highest population in the year 2040 will be in Malaysia estimated as 80% of other population as opposed to thailand which will be only 40% of the overall population. The malaysia population is increasing gradually with the year and all other countries are also following the same pattern. The least population is recorded in Indonesia above than 10% in the year of 1970 meanwhile The greatest population measured in malaysia and philippines respectively.

The Malaysia population abruptly changes from 1990 to 2010 with a mjaor increase while Thailand population is increasing gradually with the passage of time.There is a downfall in the population of philippines from 1990 to 2010 as opposed to the indonesia from the year 2000 to 2010

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several relevant features, including Malaysia’s strong rise, the Philippines’ decline between 1990 and 2010, and Indonesia’s increase from 2000 to 2010. However, the response only partially summarises the graph: it lacks a clear, accurate overview of the main trends across all four countries. Some comparisons are imprecise or incorrect. For example, Thailand is projected to reach about 50%, not 40%, in 2040, and Malaysia is around 84%, rather than 80%. The statement that Malaysia and the Philippines had the greatest populations in 1970 is also unclear, since the Philippines was highest and Malaysia was slightly lower. Select the most important trends, report them accurately, and distinguish the historical data from the projections.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the graph, gives some projected figures, and then describes changes over time. Linking expressions such as “meanwhile” and “as opposed to” show an attempt to connect comparisons. However, the ideas do not develop in a clear overall progression, and the response is presented as one block rather than organised into distinct paragraphs. Some links are also confusing: “as opposed to the indonesia from the year 2000 to 2010” does not clearly explain the contrast. Group the information into an introduction, an overview, and detail paragraphs, and use direct comparisons to guide the reader through the trends.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant graph vocabulary, including “increasing,” “downfall,” “estimated,” and “major increase,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “gives knowledge of,” “population … in cities,” and “80% of other population.” Repetition of “population” also makes the description less precise. Spelling and capitalisation errors, including “mjaor,” “asian,” and inconsistent country names, further reduce control. Use standard terms such as “urban population” and “percentage,” and choose verbs that describe the data precisely, for example “rose,” “fell,” or “is projected to reach.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentences and comparisons, but the range of structures is limited and errors occur frequently enough to make parts of the response difficult to follow. For example, the opening sentence joins several clauses with commas, while “from the period of 1970 and 2020” has an unclear grammatical relationship. In “the least population is recorded,” the article and sentence construction are not well controlled, and tense shifts between past data and future projections are inconsistent. Use complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and keep past tense for recorded years and future or predictive forms for 2030 and 2040. Careful punctuation would also make the comparisons easier to read.

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