Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-19

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 provided line graph illustrates the insights of the proportion of four Asian countries' population residing in cities between 1970 and 2020 while giving prediction for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the most percentage of people can be noticed in Malaysia and it would see upward trend even in the future years whereas, Thailand has the lowest proportion of residents and would continue to experience that later on as well. The other two nations undergo huge fluctuations throughout the timeline.

In 1970, Malaysia started off with the second highest position just below Philippines accounting for 30% of the population but has experienced sharp escalation since then after a slight decrease in 1990, soaring to it's peak at 78% in 2020 and has been forecasted to reach 82% in 2040. Additionally, Philippines has faced fluctuations until 2010 but then there is gradual increase in the proportion, predicted to reach around 59% in 2040.

On the other hand, citizens of Indonesia were the lowest with only 12% living in cities in 1970 but they rose significantly afterwards with some minor fluctuation between 1960 and 2000 surpassing Philippines in 2020 or 53% of the total population; a trend that is expected to continue in 2030 and 2040 too. However, Thilan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for all four countries and the future projections. However, the response is incomplete as it cuts off mid-sentence at the end ('However, Thilan'). This is a significant omission that prevents a full summary of the final country. While the overview identifies the main trends (Malaysia as the highest, Thailand as the lowest), the lack of completion impacts the overall task achievement. To reach a higher band, ensure the entire data set is addressed and the conclusion is fully articulated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas from the overview to the specific country details. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'On the other hand', and 'whereas' are used to link ideas. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the coherence of the final paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow is hindered by the incomplete nature of the final sentence, which leaves the reader without a sense of closure for the final data point.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts at descriptive language such as 'sharp escalation', 'soaring', and 'gradual increase'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'the most percentage' (should be 'the highest percentage') and 'undergo huge fluctuations' (which is slightly imprecise for the data shown). The range is sufficient to convey the main points, but more precise academic vocabulary would improve the quality of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'it's peak' (should be 'its peak'), 'the most percentage' (should be 'the highest percentage'), and 'prediction for 2030' (should be 'predictions'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the incomplete final sentence is a major error in sentence structure. While the meaning is usually clear, these frequent minor errors and the unfinished structure prevent a higher 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.