Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-07-28

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 7.0)

The line graph illustrates the data about the percentage of the population in four Asian nations living in urban areas from 1970 to 2020, with forecasts for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, it is quite clear that all four nations population living in urban areas rose consistently without any decrease while Philippines showed a fluctuation.

To begin with, Malaysia has 30% of population living in cities in 1970 but astonishingly it seems the only country, going to reach above 80% in 2040. However, Thailand would be the country to face the lowest percentage of the population in 2040 with around 49%, although they will rose from 19% in 1970.

By contrast, Indonesia started from the lowest percentage of population living in cities which was about 14% but they rose rapidly throughout the period and end with 60% and that would be the second largest populated country in 2040. Finally, Philippines was the only country to experienced the fluctuation which accounted as a decline from 1990 to 2010 but surprisingly it also increased and expected to cross 50% in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response covers all key features of the graph, including the start and end points and the overall trends. You successfully identified the main trend (upward) and the exception (Philippines' fluctuation). However, the description of the data is slightly imprecise in places; for example, stating Malaysia is 'the only country' to reach 80% is accurate, but the comparison of Thailand and Indonesia could be more clearly structured to highlight the relative rankings. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points mentioned are accurate and that the 'main features' are highlighted with more analytical comparisons rather than just listing figures country by country.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'By contrast' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. The overview is placed appropriately after the introduction, which is good practice. To improve, focus on varying your cohesive devices and ensuring that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother, particularly when moving between the different countries' data points.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuation', 'forecasts', and 'urban areas'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'second largest populated country' (should be 'second most urbanized') and 'accounted as a decline' (should be 'represented a decline'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Try to incorporate more varied reporting verbs and adjectives to describe the trends more dynamically.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'all four nations population' (should be 'the populations of all four nations'), 'they will rose' (should be 'they will rise'), and 'the only country to experienced' (should be 'the only country to experience'). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and tense consistency, especially when discussing future predictions versus past data.

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