Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-25

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 tracks the change in percentage of individuals settled in cities among 4 different Asian countries starting from 1970 to most recent years and predicting the change upto 2040.

Overall, we can see a significant growth in urban population in every country where Indonesia gave a substantial change from having least number of people living in the cities in 1970 to coming second in the list surpassing Thailand and Philippines around the year 2020. Malaysia stood on top of the list most of the times.

Starting from 1970, Indonesia and Thailand had slightly less then 20% of their population living in cities where Indonesia was at bottom. By that time, Malaysia and Philippines were having aroung 30% of urban population. Until 2000, the percentage of individuals living in cities in Thailand and Indonesia were exactly the same (slightly less than 30%) whereas the percentages of Philippines and Malaysia were around 45% and around 60% respectively.

Until 2020, Malaysia was at the top with around 75% urban population. Indonesia was second with 50% where Philippines and Thailand came after with around 45% and 30% respectively. Moreover, all these percentages are gradually rising in future predictions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered all four countries and included the start, end, and predicted points. However, the analysis could be improved by being more precise with the data points. For example, stating 'around 30%' or 'around 60%' is acceptable, but you should aim to be as accurate as possible based on the graph. Additionally, the comparison between countries is clear, but you could enhance the 'main features' by highlighting the specific year where Indonesia overtook the others more explicitly. Overall, you have addressed the requirements of the task well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing the trends. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Starting from', 'Until', and 'Moreover', which help link the sentences. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more varied to improve the flow. For instance, instead of repeating 'around' frequently, you could use synonyms or different structures to connect your observations more fluidly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed data analysis.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'urban population', 'substantial change', and 'gradually rising'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'settled in cities' is less natural than 'living in urban areas' or 'urbanization'. You also use 'most of the times' which is slightly informal for an academic report. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained constant', and ensure your collocations are more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'less then' should be 'less than', and 'having least number of people' is missing articles ('the least number'). There are also some issues with preposition usage and tense consistency, such as 'were having' which is better expressed as 'had'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will help improve your accuracy.

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

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