Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-13

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 graphs depicts the information about the proportion of population residing in cities of four Asian countries from 1970 to 2020, with the predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the highest proportion of population approximately 80% will be residing in the cities of malaysia followed by around 60% in indonesia. Furthermore, approx 50% of population will be living in the cities of philippines and approx 40% in thailand.

In Malaysia, only 30% of population were residing in their cities with gradual increase in the proportion in the year 2000 and marked increase of population will be living in th year 2040. However, in Indonesia approx 15% of population were living in the ciities with gradual rose of population with the forthcoming year and about 60% will be living in the cities of indonesia in the year 2040.

In, Thailand approximately 20% of population were living, it saw a major flucutation till year 2020 with slight increase in year 2040. In Philippines, the cities saw a majority of variation but 50% of population will be residing in the year 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the broad pattern that Malaysia is projected to have the highest urban population share, while Indonesia rises substantially and Thailand remains lower. However, the overview is imprecise: Malaysia is forecast at about 84%, Indonesia at 64%, the Philippines at 56%, and Thailand at 50% by 2040, rather than approximately 80%, 60%, 50%, and 40%. The body also omits key comparisons and gives little detail about the period-by-period changes. For example, the Philippines rises to 48% in 1990, then falls before recovering, while Thailand increases steadily rather than fluctuating markedly. The response therefore selects some relevant features but reports them only partially and includes a misleading description of Thailand’s trend.

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. However, the progression within the body is limited, as each country is discussed separately without clear comparisons or a consistent way of grouping the trends. Linking is also sometimes awkward or mechanical; for instance, “However” does not express a contrast between the Malaysia and Indonesia descriptions, and “In, Thailand” disrupts the transition. The overview provides a useful summary, but the body does not develop it systematically. Grouping countries with similar patterns and using clearer links between comparisons would make the organisation more coherent.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary such as “proportion,” “predictions,” “gradual increase,” and “variation,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing data. “A major fluctuation” misrepresents Thailand’s mostly steady rise, while “gradual rose” is an incorrect word form and “marked increase of population” is an awkward collocation. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “ciities” and “flucutation,” and country names are inconsistently capitalised. Aim for precise trend language and standard collocations, such as “the figure rose steadily” or “the proportion is projected to reach.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including the overview sentence beginning “Overall” and clauses linked with “with” and “while.” However, grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make the relationships between ideas unclear. The opening has subject–verb disagreement in “The line graphs depicts,” and several phrases omit articles or use them incorrectly, as in “30% of population” and “in the year 2040.” Tense and sentence construction are also inconsistent: “with gradual increase in the proportion in the year 2000 and marked increase … will be living” does not form a clear, controlled sentence. Work on agreement, articles, and consistent past-versus-forecast structures, and check punctuation around introductory phrases.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.