Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-17

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 graph illustrates the rate of population change in phillipines, malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia between 1970 and 2020.

Overall, the population of the four cities grew progressively throughout the period. However, Malaysia rose to be the most populated among the four asian countries. Indonisia which was the least populated, rose to be the second most populated by the end of the period.

Malaysia which was one of the most populated of the four cities, at about 30% in 1970 and 1980, rose sharply to almost 50% in 1990 and over 70% in 2020. By 2040, the population is expected to haved reached 80% making it the most populous country of the four.Indonesia followed a similar trend, starting off with a little above 10% in 1970, it rose sharply and by 2020, the population grew to 50%and by 2040, the population is expected to haved reached over 60%.

Similarly, Thailand, r with a population of about 20% in 1970, it grew graduallty to 30% in 1990, a population which was maintained till 2020. It is expected to grow sharply to 40% by 2030 and 50% by 2040.Phillipines which was the most populated cities in 1970 fluntuated throughout the period, however by 2040 it population is expected to have grown to a little above 50%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the broad upward trends and include an overview, noting Malaysia’s rise and Indonesia’s strong growth. Several comparisons are relevant, and many figures are close to the chart. However, the overview contains important inaccuracies: it says all four countries’ urban populations grew progressively, although the Philippines rose to 48% in 1990 and then fell before recovering. Indonesia also does not become the second-highest by 2020; it is second by 2040, while the Philippines is slightly higher in 2020. The claim that Thailand’s level was maintained until 2020 overlooks its gradual increase from about 30% to 33.5%. More precise comparisons across the whole period and a corrected overview would make the key features clearer and more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs grouping the countries. Sequencing is generally understandable, and transitions such as “Overall,” “Similarly,” and “however” help signal relationships. However, some linking is mechanical or unclear, particularly the repeated use of “population” when describing percentages living in cities. The final paragraph also joins the Thailand and Philippines descriptions abruptly, and the phrase “Thailand, r with a population…” interrupts the flow. Some sentences contain several figures and ideas without clear separation. Use one focused paragraph for each useful comparison group, and make references explicit—for example, distinguish urbanisation rates from population size—to improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of trend vocabulary, including “rose sharply,” “grew gradually,” and “fluctuated,” which helps describe changes. However, some word choices are imprecise for this graph: “population” and “most populated” suggest total population rather than the percentage living in cities, and “rate of population change” misstates what is measured. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “phillipines,” “Indonisia,” “gradually,” and “fluntuated,” alongside awkward phrasing such as “one of the most populated of the four cities.” These do not make the response impossible to understand, but they reduce precision. Use terms such as “urbanisation rate” and “share of the population living in cities,” and check country names and spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning “However” and “which,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless make parts of the response awkward or unclear. For example, “By 2040, the population is expected to haved reached” has an incorrect verb form, and “Similarly, Thailand, r with a population…” is an incomplete, disrupted construction. The sentence beginning “starting off with a little above 10%” also joins clauses without a clear grammatical link. There are punctuation and spacing problems, such as “50%and” and missing spaces after full stops. Practise forming complete sentences around comparisons and use consistent future forms for predictions.

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.