Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-25

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 graph illustrates 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 percentage of popution in Malaysia will be the highest as compared to other countries. Thailand will have the least amount of people. Indonesia will overtake both Thailand and Phillippines at a point and keep its place in the future aswell.

In 1970, Indonesia ranked the lowest with merely 12% of the population living in cities. Thailand had a little over than Indonesia, about 19%. Phillippines ranked number one with 31% while Malaysia was at 30%. Malaysia eventually overtook Phillippines in 1980 with 40% population in living cities while Phillippines remained stable. Both Indonesia and Thailands population increased gradually in 1980.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the topic and make an attempt at an overview, noting Malaysia’s eventual lead and Indonesia’s rise. However, the response addresses the task only partially: it stops in 1980, leaving most of the period, the forecasts, and the main comparisons unreported. The claim that Thailand “will have the least amount” is not accurate for the whole chart, since Indonesia starts lower, and the overview does not explain the contrasting longer-term trends. Some figures are close to the chart, but the Philippines is about 32% in 1970, not 31%, and the account of later changes is absent. At 105 words, the response is 45 words below the 150-word minimum. To improve, include a complete overview and select key figures across the full timeline.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph with figures. This gives the reader some sense of organisation, and the sequence from 1970 to 1980 is understandable. However, there is no clear progression through the remaining years, largely because the report ends before covering them. Connections between ideas are also limited: “Both Indonesia and Thailands population increased gradually in 1980” is added without figures or a clear link to the preceding comparison. Use a more systematic structure, such as an overview followed by paragraphs comparing the countries’ trends, and use time markers to guide the reader through the whole period.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “ranked,” “overtook,” “increased gradually,” and “predictions.” These choices communicate basic comparisons, but the range is limited and some expressions are imprecise or unnatural. For example, “the least amount of people” is less suitable than a phrase describing the lowest proportion, while “40% population in living cities” is awkward. There are also spelling errors in “popution,” “Phillippines,” and “aswell,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise terms such as “urban population,” “proportion,” “rose,” and “remained stable,” and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes mostly straightforward sentence forms, with some attempts at comparison and subordination, such as “Malaysia eventually overtook Phillippines in 1980.” Meaning is generally understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. In “Malaysia was at 30%,” the comparison is expressed awkwardly, and “Both Indonesia and Thailands population increased gradually in 1980” has a faulty plural possessive and an unclear time expression. “Malaysia will be the highest” also shifts to a future form without clearly anchoring the prediction. Practise accurate comparative structures and consistent tense choices, for example, describing historical data in the past and forecasts with “is projected to.” Vary sentence patterns while keeping each comparison grammatically complete.

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