Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-02

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 line graph depicts the information about proportion of population in four countries Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia living in cities between 1970 and 2020, with prediction for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the highest proportion of Philippines and Malaysia live in cities in starting or future, whereas the lowest proportion was Thailand nad Indonesia.

Philippines proportion was highest in given graph and also grow in every year and it will expected grow 53% in 2040, whereas Indonesia only 14% population was live in cities in 1970 after one decade it grow only only one 15% and also it expected 60% in 2040.

On the other hand in the Thailand only 19% population was live in cities in 1970 and after one decade it was grow 22% and it will expected 50% in 2040, whereas in Malaysia 30% population lived in cities during 1970 and after three decade it was grow to 30% in 2000 and also expected to grow 50% in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the chart’s subject and include figures from all four countries, with some relevant comparisons between starting and projected values. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: the Philippines does not rise every year, and it is not the highest throughout; Malaysia becomes the clear leader, reaching about 83.5% in 2040. The Philippines is around 55.5% in 2040, while Indonesia reaches about 64%, not 60%. The Malaysia account also misreports its 2000 figure as 30% rather than about 60%, and its 2040 figure as 50%. Develop a more accurate overview of the contrasting trends, then select key turning points and endpoint comparisons to support it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction, an attempted overview, and a final paragraph comparing individual countries. Linking phrases such as “Overall” and “On the other hand” show an effort to guide the reader. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the overview is vague and the final paragraph moves through countries without a clear grouping or consistent comparison. The repeated “whereas” constructions also make the relationships between figures less clear, and some references, such as “in the starting or future,” are hard to interpret. Organise the body around meaningful patterns—for example, Malaysia’s strong rise and the Philippines’ fluctuation—using clear time comparisons and more precise referencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “proportion,” “population,” “predictions,” and “grow,” so the main topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive. For example, “the highest proportion of Philippines and Malaysia live in cities” does not clearly express the intended comparison, while “it grow” and “it was grow” are not natural ways to describe a trend. Repetition of “population,” “grow,” and “in cities” also limits precision. Build a small set of accurate trend expressions, such as “the urban share rose,” “increased steadily,” and “reached a peak,” and use them to distinguish rises, falls, and projections.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt longer sentences with comparisons and time clauses, but the range is limited and errors occur frequently, sometimes making relationships between ideas difficult to understand. Examples include “Philippines proportion was highest,” “it will expected grow,” and “after one decade it grow,” where articles, verb forms, and tense patterns are not controlled. The sentence beginning “Overall” also has unclear agreement and structure. Most sentences rely on similar simple patterns joined by “whereas,” rather than showing reliable control of varied clauses. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions for 1970–2020 and use “is expected to” for forecasts. Check subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries before adding more complex comparisons.

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