Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The line gprah illustrates the proportion of the urban population in four Asian countires the Philipines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesian from 1970 to 2020, along with the projections of 2030 and 2040.

Overall, all for countries witnessed a continue increase in urbanization over the period. Malaysia emerging as the front runner in the urban population, while indonesia demostrated the most substantial growth.

In 1970, malaysia started with 30% in the urban population, throughout the period it steadily increased to 80% in 2024. In contrast, philippines population begin with 31% in 1979 and sharply rose to 50% in 1990, it showed slightly flucation decreased to 40% in 2010 after gradually increased to 51% in 2024.

Indonesia population rising with 11% in 1970 over the period it demostrated slowly gowth 41% in 2010 and increased to approximetily 60% in 2024. Similaraly, thailand population circumstances 21% in 1970 and progressively rose to 30% in 2020 and reach at his higer urban popuation 425 in 2040

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the chart’s subject and time span, and your overview correctly notes that urbanisation generally rises and that Malaysia becomes the most urbanised country. You also select relevant country-by-country trends. However, some figures and dates are inaccurate: the Philippines begins at about 32% in 1970, not 31% in 1979, and its peak is around 48% in 1990; Malaysia reaches about 83.5% in 2040, rather than 80% in 2024. Thailand is about 33.5% in 2020 and 49.5% in 2040, not 30% and “425”. The overview also misses the useful contrast that Indonesia grows fastest and overtakes the Philippines around 2010. More accurate comparisons and coverage of the forecast period would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the countries. This gives the reader a basic route through the information, and contrast markers such as “In contrast” and “Similarly” show an attempt to connect trends. However, the progression is weakened by grouping several figures into long, loosely joined sentences, especially in the Philippines paragraph. Some links do not clearly express the relationship between the data, and the final sentence is difficult to follow. Organise the details into clearer comparisons—for example, Malaysia and the Philippines together, then Indonesia and Thailand—and use full stops to separate distinct stages. This would make the sequence of information easier to follow and reduce the reliance on basic linking words.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “proportion,” “urban population,” “projections,” “steadily increased,” and “substantial growth.” These choices show an attempt to describe trends rather than simply list figures. However, spelling and word-choice errors are frequent and sometimes make the meaning unclear: “gprah,” “countires,” “flucation,” “gowth,” and “approximetily” are examples. Several expressions are also unnatural, such as “population circumstances” and “front runner in the urban population.” Use standard trend collocations and check spelling carefully; for instance, “the urban share of the population” and “the highest proportion” are clearer. Greater accuracy and a more consistent range of trend vocabulary would make the report more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including an overview with “while” and a comparison beginning “In contrast.” However, many sentences contain errors in clause structure, verb forms, and agreement, which can make the data relationships hard to interpret. For example, “Malaysia started with 30% …, throughout the period it steadily increased” joins two independent clauses with only a comma. “Philippines population begin” has an incorrect verb form, while “Indonesia population rising” lacks a finite verb. The final sentence also shifts between forms in “rose … and reach.” Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use past tense for historical data and future forms for projections. More accurate sentence boundaries would improve clarity.

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