Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-12

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 graph illustrates the percentage of the population living in cities in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia from 1970 to 2000, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.

overall, the proportion of people living in cities increased in all asian countries mentioned over the period, Although Phillippines experienced some fluctuations. Malaysia had the highest percentage of population and expected to remain the country with most population in 2040.

In 1970, Malyasia and Phillipines had 30% of population lived in each cities. Malaysia steadily rose to 60% by 2000 and remained the highest till 2020 by 75% approximately and assumed to be the most urbanised city in 2040. In contrast, Phillippines had maximum growth of 45% by 1990 and then remained moderate reaching about 50% in 2040.

Furthermore, Indonesia showed very less proportion of population of 15% in 1970 and this figure had grew rapidly to 50% in 2020 and forecasted to be the second largest city with population of 60%. Lastly, Thailand also seen considerable growth from 13% in 1970 to around 40-45% in 2010 and it's predicted to rise sharply to approximately 64% in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons. You have successfully selected key data points for all four countries across the specified timeframe. However, the overview is slightly flawed; you mention the Philippines experienced 'fluctuations', but the graph shows a generally upward trend with some periods of stagnation rather than significant volatility. Additionally, referring to countries as 'cities' (e.g., 'most urbanised city') is factually incorrect as the data refers to national urban population percentages. To improve, ensure your overview clearly highlights the most significant trends, such as the consistent dominance of Malaysia and the rapid growth of Indonesia.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', and 'Lastly' to guide the reader through the data. However, the paragraphing is slightly inconsistent, and some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when you refer to countries as 'cities'. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the logical flow between sentences is more seamless, avoiding repetitive sentence structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'urbanised', 'forecasted', and 'considerable growth'. However, there are some noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'very less proportion' (should be 'a much smaller proportion') and the repeated incorrect use of 'city' to describe a country. Spelling errors like 'Malyasia' and 'Phillipines' also detract from the professional tone. To improve, focus on using more precise quantifiers and ensuring accurate terminology when describing demographic data.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical inaccuracies that occur throughout the text, such as 'this figure had grew' (should be 'had grown'), 'Thailand also seen' (should be 'has also seen'), and '30% of population lived in each cities' (should be '30% of the population lived in each country'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage when describing past trends and future predictions.

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

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