Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-07-25

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 6.5)

The graph below illustrates the total percentage of people settled in the urban area from four Asian countries, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, between 1970 and 2020 and predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the trend of living in the cities seems to be increasing over the given period of time and will continue to grow in the future.

In the early 70's about 30 percent of the total population of the Philippines lived in the cities, which has doubled in 2020 and seems to be triple in the 2040s. Similarly, indonesia and Thailand had about 14 and 18 per cent of their populations living in the urban area, which got around 50 and 30 percent of total population living in the city. And is predicted to be 60 and 43 percent in the upcoming year, 2040.

Malaysia have around 30 percantage of total population living in the city in the early 1970s, which increased by 20 percent in 1990 then it fell by 10 percent and predicted to be increased by another 10 percentage in iner future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided data for the four countries. However, the response lacks precision in reporting the figures. For example, you state the Philippines' figure 'doubled' and 'seems to be triple', but the data points are not clearly linked to specific years. Additionally, the description of Malaysia's trend is inaccurate based on the graph provided, as you mention a fall that is not clearly supported by the visual data. To improve, ensure that every claim is backed by specific, accurate data points from the graph and avoid vague language like 'seems to be'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs, which provides a logical structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally confusing. For instance, the transition 'And is predicted to be' at the start of a sentence is grammatically weak and disrupts the flow. The referencing is also inconsistent, particularly in the third paragraph where the grouping of data for Indonesia and Thailand becomes difficult to follow. Using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', 'Consequently') would help improve the logical progression between your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main points, such as 'urban area', 'population', and 'predictions'. However, there are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'percantage', 'iner future', and 'triple' used as a verb in an awkward context. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your report. To reach a higher band, focus on using more academic collocations and ensure accurate spelling of key terms like 'percentage'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('Malaysia have', 'Indonesia and Thailand... got around') and incorrect tense usage ('which got around 50'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of apostrophes (e.g., '70's'). While these errors rarely prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are frequent enough to keep the score in the 5.5–6.0 range. Focusing on consistent verb tenses when describing past trends versus future predictions is essential.

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