Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-13

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)

This graph elaborates the Caclulations people living between the four countries in different years and their population shuffling slightly upward or downwards as well showing predictions for future. Firstly, Malaysia experienced the largest and most consistent growth rising from around 32% in 1970 to about 75% in 2020, and it is predicated to reach around 82% by 2040. Indonesia, also increased significantly, particularly after 2000, reaching about 52% in 2000 and is expected to reach approximately 63% in 2040. Thailand , grew more slowly, from around 18% in 1970 to about 33% in 2020, but predicted to reach 50% by 2040. Meanwhile, the Philippines started at about 32%, rose to nearly 50% in 1990, then declined slightly before increasing again. It expected to reach around 55% by 2040. Overall, Malaysia is expected to have the highest percentage of people living in cities, while Thailand remains the lowest until around 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all four countries and the time frame provided. You successfully identified the main trends, such as Malaysia's consistent growth and the comparative positions of the countries. However, the overview is slightly weak; while you mention the highest and lowest, it could be more integrated into the structure. The data points are generally accurate, though the description of the Philippines is slightly confusing regarding the 1990 data point. To improve, ensure your overview clearly highlights the most significant trends across the entire period rather than just the end state.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, with each country discussed in its own sequence. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Meanwhile', and 'Overall' to guide the reader. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire response is a single block of text. For an IELTS Task 1, you should separate your introduction/overview from the body paragraphs to improve readability. Additionally, some transitions feel a bit mechanical. Improving the flow between sentences by using a wider variety of linking phrases would help achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'consistent growth', 'significantly', and 'predictions'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'Caclulations people living' and 'population shuffling'. These errors do not impede communication but show a lack of precision. To reach a higher band, focus on using more academic collocations related to data description, such as 'upward trend' or 'projected to reach', and ensure your spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'it is predicated to reach' (should be 'predicted') and 'It expected to reach' (missing the auxiliary verb 'is'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas, such as in 'Thailand , grew'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of passive voice for reporting data.

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

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