Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-05

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 6.0)

The line chart illustrates the proportion of the population in philippines, malaysia, thailand and indonesia, living in urbain areas form 1970 to 2020. and an estimate percentage for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the population of the four countries was increased, and it is predicted to continue rising in the futur, furthermore, as it can be seen malaysia is the highest populated country among the four, whereas thailand is the least one.

The percentage of malaysia and indonesia population was 30% and just over 10% respectively in 1970, this proportion rose considerably over the years, reaching just above 70% and around 30%, this figure is estimated to grow in 2040 to peak at around 80% and approximately 50%.

In terms of philippines and thailand, its percentage increased slightly form 1970 to 1990 to reach a rate of just under 50% and below 30% respectively, this figure then witnessed a very minimal decrease in 2000, before climbing in 2020 to aound 40% and 30%, it is forecasted that this proportion will rise to reach a peak of approximately 50% and just over 40% in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main trends for all four countries. You successfully highlighted the overall upward trend and made relevant comparisons, such as identifying Malaysia as the highest and Thailand as the lowest. However, the report could be improved by providing more precise data points for the 2030/2040 projections and ensuring the distinction between the historical data and the predictions is clearer. While the main features are reported, the analysis of the data could be more analytical rather than just listing figures. Overall, it provides a clear summary of the information presented in the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the run-on sentences in the introduction and the second paragraph. For example, '...in 1970, this proportion rose...' creates a comma splice. While paragraphing is used appropriately, the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the data points more fluidly rather than relying on simple commas to join independent clauses.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main trends, using terms like 'proportion', 'considerably', 'witnessed', and 'forecasted'. However, there are several spelling errors (e.g., 'philippines', 'urbain', 'form', 'futur', 'aound') and some minor word choice issues. The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the sophistication required for a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling of key terms. The range is sufficient to communicate the message clearly, but the errors are noticeable and detract from the overall quality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there is a lack of control over punctuation, leading to several run-on sentences and comma splices (e.g., '...in 1970, this proportion rose...'). There are also errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage, such as 'the population... was increased' instead of 'increased' or 'has increased'. While the meaning is generally clear and the errors do not impede communication, the frequency of these grammatical slips prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence boundaries and verb tenses will significantly improve your score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.