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 diagram depicts information about the percentage of crowd living in four Asian countries residing in urban areas from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, there is a prediction for an upward trend in the population of Malaysia and Indonesia by the year 2040. Indonesia is having the least population among all the four countries in the year 1970.
The percentage of population in Malaysia was 30% in the year 1970 but there is a prediction that gradually the aggregate will increase to 80% by the year 2040. The aggregate of population in Philippines in the year 1970 was at 31% but in future it will rise to 50% by the year 2040, the same trend is seen in Thailand as it was at 19% in 1970 and will increase to 44% in the upcoming years. Indonesia is at 14% in 1970 but it will be seen rising to 45% by the year 2040.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response identifies the broad subject and notes that Indonesia had the lowest urban share in 1970, but it does not provide a sufficiently accurate or complete summary of the graph. The overview mentions predicted growth only for Malaysia and Indonesia, overlooking the overall rise in Thailand and the Philippines’ fluctuation followed by recovery. Several figures are materially inaccurate: Thailand is projected to reach about 50%, not 44%, and Indonesia about 64%, not 45%, by 2040. The account also omits key comparisons, including Indonesia’s strong rise and Malaysia’s position as the highest by the end. The response is 148 words, below the 150-word minimum; the 10 words copied from the prompt were excluded from the count. Include the main trends and accurate endpoint comparisons.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a basic, recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph giving country figures. This helps the reader follow the general topic, and the sequence from 1970 values towards future projections is mostly understandable. However, the progression is limited because the body lists countries one by one without grouping or comparing their trends, and the overview does not prepare the reader for the details that follow. Linking is also repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “but” and “as,” while “the same trend is seen” does not clearly explain the comparison. Organise the body around contrasting patterns—for example, Malaysia’s high projected level versus Indonesia’s rapid growth—and use clearer references to connect the overview with the data.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the topic, with relevant terms such as “percentage,” “urban areas,” “upward trend,” and “predictions.” However, word choice and collocation are often imprecise or repetitive. “Crowd” is not appropriate for a population statistic, and “aggregate of population” is unnatural; “share” or “proportion of the population” would be clearer. The response also repeats “population” and “increase” rather than using a wider range of accurate trend language. “There is a prediction” and “it will be seen rising” are awkward formulations. Aim for precise, conventional expressions used in data description, such as “is projected to rise,” “urban population share,” and “fluctuated before recovering.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writing includes some simple and compound sentence forms, and the main message is generally understandable. There are also attempts to use future forms for projections. However, control is uneven in longer sentences: “The aggregate of population in Philippines … but in future it will rise” joins ideas awkwardly and lacks the article before “Philippines.” The phrase “Indonesia is having the least population” uses an unsuitable tense and construction for describing a figure in 1970. “There is a prediction that gradually the aggregate will increase” also has an awkward clause structure. Use past tense for historical data and “is projected to” for forecasts, while checking articles and sentence boundaries. More consistently controlled complex sentences would improve accuracy.
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