Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-16

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 4.0)

the graph showing the percentage of population in living countries which shows that malaysin population increases maximum from 1970 to 2040 by 85percent which is the heighest level of increase in population, where as thailand have the lowest number of predicted population by year 2040 which is upto 45 percent and is the lowest among all the countries percentages. the indonesia also show the high number of population that starts to almost 15 percent and predicted upto 55 percent by the year 2040. the phillippines has compareable populations that has been predicted by the year 2040 and thus have showen the difference in the percentages. these levels o

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify some relevant overall patterns, including Malaysia’s strong rise and Thailand’s comparatively low projected figure, and you mention all four countries. However, the response only minimally covers the task: it gives no clear overview of the main changes across the period and omits important comparisons, such as Indonesia overtaking the Philippines and Malaysia reaching the highest level. Some figures are inaccurate: Malaysia is projected to reach about 84%, not 85% as an increase, and Thailand is about 50% in 2040 rather than 45%; the Philippines is about 56%, not clearly described. The response is also 42 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail available. Add a concise overview and support it with accurate start- and end-point comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to connect observations using phrases such as “where as” and “also,” and the response broadly moves from one country to another. However, the ideas are crowded into one long, largely unpunctuated sequence, with no paragraphing or clear progression from an overview to supporting details. The opening is difficult to follow, and the final phrase, “these levels o,” is incomplete, leaving the response unfinished. Some links, such as “thus,” do not make the relationship between ideas clear. Organise the answer into an introduction, an overview, and one or two detail paragraphs, and use full stops to separate comparisons.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses a small set of relevant terms, including “percentage,” “predicted,” “increase,” and “lowest,” so the general topic can be recognised. However, vocabulary is basic and repetitive, and several inaccurate or awkward choices strain clarity. For example, “population in living countries” does not express the chart’s subject naturally, while “maximum” and “heighest level of increase in population” confuse the highest percentage with the size of the increase. Country names are misspelled (“malaysin,” “indonesia,” “phillippines”), and “compareable populations” is unclear. Use precise chart language such as “urban population,” “proportion,” “rise,” and “projected to reach,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to combine ideas in longer sentences, for example by using “whereas” and “which,” but the response relies on a few extended structures that are often difficult to control. In “the graph showing … which shows,” the opening lacks a clear main clause and repeats the same structure. Agreement and verb forms are also inconsistent: “thailand have” and “the indonesia also show” should use singular agreement, while “has … and thus have showen” shifts between forms. Missing sentence boundaries and the unfinished ending further affect accuracy. Practise writing complete, shorter sentences first, then add controlled comparisons using “while” or “whereas,” with consistent present-tense descriptions and accurate subject–verb agreement.

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