Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-15

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 4.5)

The graph shown information about the percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020,with predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the most noticable feature is that malaysia was the most populated country and thailand was the least populated country.

To begin with, as per the some uniquely designed symbols shown in the graph for seperate country malaysia was raised rapidly from 1970 to 2040 if we saw the population at 1970 which was 30 percentage and it raised 80 percentage in 2040 in the all four country and after that if we saw the philippines it was also raised very fast like malaysia from 32 percentage in 1970 and in 2040 it will be 50 but lowest by indonesia in 2040.

Moving further, as per the trends in the graph the third populated country was thailand and fourth was indonesia which is most populated in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the general subject and attempts to describe trends, but it does not provide an accurate overview of the main features. The claim that Malaysia was “the most populated country” confuses urban population share with total population, and Thailand was not consistently the least urbanised: Indonesia was lower in 1970 and 1980. The statement that Indonesia was “most populated in 2040” also contradicts the graph, where Malaysia remains highest and Indonesia is second. Some figures are broadly close, but the comparisons are unclear and several trends are not reported accurately. The response is 130 words, below the required 150; this limits the detail and coverage of the task. Select the key rankings and changes, then support them with accurate comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an attempted overview, and two body paragraphs. However, the information does not progress clearly. The overview says Malaysia was highest and Thailand lowest, while the final paragraph calls Indonesia the most populated in 2040, creating a contradiction. Linking phrases such as “To begin with” and “Moving further” signal stages, but the ideas that follow are not grouped or connected in a clear comparison. The long third paragraph combines Malaysia and the Philippines, then shifts to Indonesia without explaining the relationships among the figures. Organise the body by meaningful comparisons—for example, the strongest rises and the countries with the highest and lowest urban shares—and use references that make each comparison clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some task-related vocabulary, including “percentage,” “predictions,” “raised rapidly,” and “trends,” so the reader can identify the general topic. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or unnatural. “Most populated country” does not describe the graph’s measure; “urbanised” or “highest proportion living in cities” would be more precise. Phrases such as “uniquely designed symbols” and “if we saw the population” are awkward and do not help describe data. Spelling errors, including “noticable,” “seperate,” and “malaysia,” also reduce control. Build a small set of accurate trend and comparison expressions, and check spelling and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and longer sentence forms, but control is uneven. The opening sentence has a subject–verb agreement error (“The graph shown information”), and the first body paragraph contains a lengthy, poorly controlled sentence with unclear clause relationships: “as per the some uniquely designed symbols shown in the graph for seperate country malaysia was raised rapidly…” There are also errors in articles and sentence construction, such as “as per the some” and “in the all four country.” Capitalisation and spacing around punctuation are inconsistent. These problems sometimes make the intended comparisons difficult to follow, although the basic message remains understandable. Use shorter, complete sentences to report each trend, and practise accurate past and future forms when distinguishing historical data from predictions.

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