Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-14

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 line graph compares the proportions of total population living in Philippines, Malaysia, Thaliand, and Indonesia fom 1970 to 2020, with predictionbs for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the percentage of the population living in Malaysia was predicted the highest in among the three contries in 2040 and Thailand was predicted at lowest in 2024 than the Philippines and Indonesia.

The proportion of the population living in Philippines and Malaysia between the 1970 and 2010 was at highest. While Thailand and Indonesia was at lowest in these years. The population of philippines gradually increased till 1990 the sharply increased till 2020 and then predicted to increase till 2040 with the same speed standing at just slightly over 80. The population of Malaysia increased slighty from 1970 to 1980 stood at 32% and 33% respectively and then went up sharply til 1990 at 50%, followed by sharply went down till 2020 and then gradully increase and predicted to increase till 2024.

In contrast, the proportion of Indonesia population started from 15% in 1970 the gradually increase til 2020 and then predicted it will increase till 2024 clsoe to 60% while, the population of Thiland increased smootly from 1970 to 1990, sarted just under 20% and recahed 25% in 1990 then become stable til 2010, followed by slighlty increased til 2020 and then predicted to gradually increase till 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the countries and time span, and it attempts an overview, but the main features are often misreported, so the summary only partially fulfils the task. For example, Malaysia is described as falling sharply after 1990, whereas it rises from about 46% to 76% by 2020; the figure “just slightly over 80” is also wrongly assigned to the Philippines, whose 2040 value is about 56%. The overview’s claim that Thailand is lowest in 2024 is both the wrong year and an incomplete comparison: Thailand is lowest in 2040, while Malaysia is highest. Several trends are mentioned, but inaccurate figures and unclear comparisons limit the useful information. Focus on the overall ranking and each country’s actual direction of change.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: an introduction is followed by an overview and then paragraphs describing groups of countries, with “Overall” and “In contrast” signalling relationships. However, progression is not consistently clear because the country descriptions are mixed together and some comparisons are difficult to follow. For instance, “The proportion of the population in Philippines and Malaysia between the 1970 and 2010 was at highest” does not clearly explain what is being compared, and the later Malaysia account contradicts the earlier overview. Linking phrases such as “followed by” are repeated, sometimes in awkward sequences. Give each paragraph a clear purpose—overview first, then grouped country trends—and use accurate references and transitions to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “proportions,” “predicted,” “gradually increased,” and “stable,” and the reader can generally identify the intended topic. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the trend descriptions confusing. “Increased sharply” is used for the Philippines even though the figures do not support that description, while “went up sharply” and “sharply went down” are also applied inaccurately to Malaysia. There are frequent spelling errors, including “predictionbs,” “slighlty,” and “Thiland.” Use precise trend language such as “rose steadily,” “declined,” or “levelled off,” and check spelling and country names carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts both simple and longer sentences, including clauses joined with “while,” “followed by,” and “then,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in agreement and sentence construction occur in examples such as “Thailand and Indonesia was at lowest” and “the proportion … was at highest.” Tense and verb patterns are also faulty in phrases such as “then predicted to increase” and “followed by sharply went down.” Articles and prepositions are often missing or incorrectly used, as in “living in Philippines” and “in among the three contries.” These problems sometimes make relationships between events hard to interpret. Practise forming complete sentences with consistent past-tense reporting for historical data and clear future forms for predictions.

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