Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-30

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 illustrates the percentage of the total population residing in the cities of four Asian countries - Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia - between 1970 and 2020, along with predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, Malaysia and Indonesia experienced an upward trend, with Malaysia increased sharply and reached to the highest point in graph at the end of the period. Meanwhile, Philippines and Thailand also increased moderately; initially, the percentage of the total population of Philippines fluctuated followed by a gradual increasing pattern.

In 1970, the total polulation of Malaysia was 30%, while Indonesia's population was around 13%. In 1990, Malaysian population reached around 45%, while Indonesian's citizens gradually increased to about 24%. After this period, the population of both Malaysia and Indonesia increased rapidly and reached to approximately 75% and nearly 30%, respectively, in 2020.

On the other hand, at the start of the period, Philippines had relatively largest population with just over 30%, whereas Thailand's population was just under 20%. In 1990, Philippines' population peaked to just under 50%, while the residents of Thailand's cities gradually incrased to around 28%. In 2020, the figure for Philippines was around 48%, while Thiland's population was about 30%.

According to the predictions, all countries will follow a gradual upward trend, Malaysian's population remained to the top at about 80% in 2040. Indonesia's population will be around 58%, Philippines will be around 55%, and Thailand's cities population will be lowest at approximately 50%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all requirements of the task, including the trends for all four countries and the inclusion of future predictions. You have successfully identified the main features, such as Malaysia's sharp rise and the overall upward trend for all nations. However, there is a significant inaccuracy in your data reporting: you refer to the 'total population' of the countries rather than the 'percentage of the population living in cities.' This is a critical distinction in data interpretation. Additionally, the description of the Philippines' trend as 'fluctuating' is not fully supported by the graph, which shows a more consistent, albeit varied, growth pattern. To improve, ensure you precisely label the data being described.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group the countries effectively. You use cohesive devices such as 'Meanwhile,' 'On the other hand,' and 'According to the predictions' to guide the reader. However, the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as using 'Malaysian's population' when you mean the percentage of the population living in cities. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the historical data from the future projections. The progression of ideas is generally clear, though some transitions between sentences could be smoother to avoid a mechanical feel.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'upward trend,' 'fluctuated,' and 'gradual increasing pattern.' However, there are recurring issues with word choice and collocation. For instance, you write 'reached to the highest point' (the verb 'reach' does not take 'to') and 'Malaysian's population remained to the top.' These errors are noticeable but do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing when describing trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with prepositions and verb forms, such as 'Malaysia increased sharply and reached to the highest point' and 'Thiland's population was about 30%.' There are also minor spelling errors (e.g., 'polulation,' 'incrased,' 'Thiland'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Increasing your control over basic sentence construction and proofreading for small errors would improve your score significantly.

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.