Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The population of urban cities is showing a rapid growth over the past decade. For example, only 10% of Indonesia's population lived in cities in 1970 whereas it is expected to grow to over 60% by 2040. Malaysia is having the highest incline of their population living in cities by 2040 as the government is providing steady jobs in the cities for tourism and affordable university studies. Not much incline is shown in the city populations in Philippines and Thailand by 2040. Philippines shows an incline of only about 20% of the population living in cities, over a span of 70 years compared to Indonesia's increase by more than 50% in the same amount of time. Whereas, Thailand has shown an incline of only 20% in almost a century. Overall, the population of urban cities is increasing which shows the lifestyle changes of people across 70 years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the broad upward trend and make relevant comparisons, including Indonesia’s substantial rise and the more modest changes in the Philippines and Thailand. However, the response only minimally fulfils the task: it gives no clear, accurate overview of how the four countries compare across the period, and several figures or descriptions are misleading. Indonesia starts at about 14%, not 10%, and rises to about 64%, while the Philippines increases by roughly 24 percentage points, not 20. Malaysia’s rise is also not explained by the chart; the claims about government jobs, tourism and university affordability are unsupported. The response is 3 words below the required minimum. Focus on the chart’s main patterns and avoid adding causes that are not shown.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces urban growth, gives examples, and ends with a general concluding statement. Comparisons such as the Philippines versus Indonesia help connect some information. However, the ideas are compressed into one paragraph, so there is no clear separation between an overview and supporting details. Linking is also sometimes awkward: “Whereas, Thailand…” is not smoothly connected to the preceding sentence, and “Overall” introduces a broad conclusion rather than a precise summary of the chart. Organise the response into an introduction, an overview, and one or two detail paragraphs. Group countries by their trends and use linking phrases to show contrasts and changes over time.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary, including “population,” “cities,” “increase,” and “compared to,” so the general subject is understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices are repetitive or imprecise. “Incline” is repeatedly used where “increase” or “rise” is more natural for describing data, and “urban cities” is redundant. “Highest incline” is also an awkward way to describe Malaysia’s trend. The phrase “population of urban cities” makes the meaning less precise than “urban population.” Aim to use a wider set of accurate trend language, such as “rose steadily,” “climbed sharply,” “levelled off,” and “was projected to reach,” while avoiding repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes some longer sentence forms, for example the comparison beginning “Philippines shows an incline…” and the clause introduced by “whereas.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but control is uneven. “Malaysia is having the highest incline” uses an unsuitable tense for describing a chart, and “their population” does not agree clearly with the singular country name. The sentence beginning “Whereas, Thailand…” is a fragment because it lacks a main clause, while “over a span of 70 years” is attached awkwardly to the comparison. Practise complete complex sentences and use consistent past forms for historical data and future forms for projections, such as “is expected to rise.”

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.