Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-22

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 following report presents information on the urban population percentages in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia from 1970 to 2040, as depicted in the provided graph.

Overall, it is inferred that the trend shows a consistent increase in urban population percentages for all four Asian countries from 1970 to 2040, with Malaysia projected to have the highest percentage by 2040.

At first glance, In 1970, the urban population percentage in the Philippines stood at 35%, the highest among the four countries. Over the next two decades, the Philippines experienced significant growth, reaching 50% by 1990. By 2040, the urban population percentage in the Philippines is predicted to be 55%, showing a steady upward trajectory over the years.

Moving towards further details, Malaysia had the second-highest urban population percentage in 1970 at 30%, which increased to 45% by 1990. The projections for 2040 place Malaysia at the forefront with an estimated urban population percentage of 85%, showcasing a remarkable rise over the decades.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the task by summarizing the main trends for the four countries. However, it is incomplete. While the introduction and overview are clear, the body paragraphs only cover the Philippines and Malaysia. Thailand and Indonesia are completely omitted from the analysis, which is a significant failure to address all parts of the prompt. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure that data for all categories mentioned in the graph is included and compared. The overview is accurate, but the lack of coverage for the remaining two countries prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'At first glance', and 'Moving towards further details' are used to guide the reader. However, the progression is interrupted because the report ends abruptly without discussing the final two countries. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a concluding summary or a complete body section makes the overall structure feel unfinished. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion suffers due to the missing information.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'projected', 'upward trajectory', 'forefront', and 'estimated'. These choices are appropriate for an academic report. There are no significant spelling errors, and the word choice is generally accurate. To improve, try to incorporate more varied ways to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'plateaued', or 'experienced a gradual climb', rather than repeating 'percentage' and 'increase' frequently. The current range is sufficient to communicate the main points clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The following report presents...' and '...which increased to 45% by 1990.' Most sentences are grammatically sound and easy to follow. There is a minor punctuation error in 'At first glance, In 1970', where the capitalization of 'In' is incorrect. However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The control over tense is good, correctly shifting between past data and future projections. The grammar is generally reliable throughout the text.

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.