Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-11-03

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)

This grap chart gives us the rise and fall of the population living in cities from 1970 to 2020 across four diffrent nations philippines,malaysia,thailand and indonesia. It also gives us predictions for the years 2030 and 2040.

AS per chart on the left side it shows percentage of people in numbers rises from 0 to 90 and in the bottom it represent years (1970 to 20240) from left to right. Heres short overview :

Philipines: With square symbol , from 1970 to 2020 it rises from 30% to 45% and the chart predict that it will rise till 50% in 2040 .

Malaysia: With diamond symbol, its cities population raises from 30% to 60% in 30 years from 1970 to 2000 , big change seen after 2000's as it keep on increasing and reached 80% in 2020 and the prediction says it will touch 90% till 2040.

Thailand: With star symbol, only 20% people live in cities in 1970's. Moreover it increases only 30% till 2020 and prediction says it will go 50% till 2040.

Indonesia: With triangle symbol, it started from the lowest 10% only in 1970's and it goes 50% in 2020 and predicted to touch 60% till 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify all four countries and include the broad direction of change, including Malaysia’s strong growth and Indonesia’s rise from the lowest starting point. However, the response only partly reports the main features: it gives no clear overall comparison of the countries’ relative positions by the end, and the overview is presented as four separate country notes rather than a synthesis. Several figures or dates are inaccurate: the Philippines is forecast to reach about 56% in 2040, not 50%; Malaysia is about 76% in 2020, not 80%; and Thailand is about 34% in 2020, not 30%. Malaysia reaches about 60% in 2000, rather than rising from 30% to 60% over 30 years. Select the most important comparisons and check each figure against the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The country-by-country layout gives the response some organisation, and the sequence generally follows the chart’s timeline. However, the opening spends space describing the axes and symbols, while the main body consists of four short, repetitive entries introduced by country names. This limits the sense of progression and makes comparisons between countries difficult to follow. Linking phrases such as “Moreover” and “as it keep on increasing” do not consistently clarify how one point relates to another. Use a concise introduction, a distinct overview of the main trends, and grouped detail paragraphs—for example, comparing Malaysia’s high urbanisation with the other countries, then contrasting the faster growth in Indonesia with the slower rise in Thailand.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant chart vocabulary, including “population,” “percentage,” “prediction,” “increases,” and “started from the lowest,” so the topic is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or informal, such as “grap chart,” “cities population,” “big change,” and “touch 90%.” Spelling errors, including “diffrent,” “Philipines,” and “Heres,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, neutral reporting language: describe the “proportion of the population living in cities,” say that a figure “rose to” or “is projected to reach” a level, and use “marked increase” rather than “big change.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the reader can usually understand the intended trends. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors occur frequently in verb forms, agreement, articles, and punctuation. For example, “the chart predict” should be “the chart predicts,” while “its cities population raises” has an incorrect possessive and verb form. In “it keep on increasing,” the verb should agree with the subject, and “it will go 50%” is missing a suitable grammatical construction such as “it will rise to 50%.” Capitalisation and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions and future projections, and proofread each sentence for subject–verb agreement and complete phrasing.

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