Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-21

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 6.5)

The line graph illustrates the percentage of people living in cities in four countries including: Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia from 1970, alongside population predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, it is an upward trend and population of people living in cities has been increased overtime.

In 1970, around 31% Filipinos were living in cities which was the highest population living in the cities among the four countries in that year. Their population increased sharply from 32% in 1980 to 48% in 1990, and then had a slight decline up to 2010. Percentage of total population living in cities in Philippines has been predicted to the peak 55% in 2040.

On the other hand, Malaysia's population lived in cities started from 30% in 1970, with a visible dramatic increase in 1990 the figure doubled and 60% of total Malaysians were living in cities in 2000. The figure continued increasing gradually and predicted that over 80% of Malaysia's total population will be living in cities by 2040.

While, Thailand was third on the list and had a relatively constant population growth in cities, eventually surpassed by Indonesia in 2000. Moreover, it has been predicted that around 45% of Thailand population will be living in cities by 2040, and 60% of Indonesia's population will be living in cities in the same year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all four countries and the time periods provided. You successfully identified the main trends, such as the overall upward trajectory and the specific growth in Malaysia. However, the analysis of the data is occasionally inaccurate; for example, you state the Philippines' population 'had a slight decline up to 2010', which is not clearly supported by the typical interpretation of such graphs. Additionally, while you mention the 2030 and 2040 predictions, the report could be improved by making more direct comparisons between the countries at key intervals rather than listing them country by country. The overview is present but could be more detailed regarding the relative rankings.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'While', and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is slightly abrupt. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences, such as 'While, Thailand was third on the list...', are slightly awkward in their structure. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different countries, which helps the reader follow the progression of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, using terms like 'upward trend', 'dramatic increase', and 'surpassed'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'population of people living in cities has been increased' (passive voice error) and 'predicted to the peak 55%'. These do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing when describing trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'population of people living in cities has been increased' (incorrect tense/voice) and 'Malaysia's population lived in cities started from 30%' (run-on structure). Additionally, there are minor issues with articles and prepositions, such as 'predicted to the peak 55%'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences would help improve this score.

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

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