Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-01

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 graph illustrates the information about the percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with prediction for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, it is clear that populations of Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia who living in the cities has soared significantly over the period with exception of Philippines number fluctuated throughout the years. Furthermore, the future prediction also shows that percentage of population living in cities will continue to increased until 2040.

According to the graph, Malaysia percentage of population living the in the cities initially started at 30% in 1970, raised to roughly 45% in 1990, and skyrocketed sharply to approximately 75% in 2020. In addition, the future predictions indicate the number will reached 80% in 2040.

By comparison, Philippines number start at 30% in 1970 which is the same as Malaysia, gradually climbed to nearly 50% in 1990, before declined to 45% in 2010. It is then predicted to steadily raised to approximately 52% in 2040. On the other hand, Indonesia started with approximately at 13% in 1970, predicted to surpassed Philippines number at 60% in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons. You have successfully highlighted the overall upward trend for most countries and noted the exception of the Philippines. However, the analysis is somewhat descriptive and lacks a deeper synthesis of the data. For instance, while you mention the 1970 and 2020 figures, you could have more effectively highlighted the contrast between the rapid growth in Malaysia versus the more moderate growth in other nations. The overview is clear, but the report would benefit from more precise grouping of data to better illustrate the comparative features of the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'By comparison', and 'On the other hand' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by minor mechanical errors in sentence structure, such as 'populations of Malaysia... who living in the cities has soared'. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas could be smoother if you used a wider variety of linking words to connect the specific data points to the broader trends more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'soared', 'skyrocketed', 'fluctuated', and 'surpassed' to describe trends. There are some minor word-choice errors, such as 'Malaysia percentage of population' instead of 'The percentage of the population in Malaysia'. Additionally, there are some repetitive structures when describing the data. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that nouns and adjectives are used correctly in relation to the data being described.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as 'who living in the cities has soared' (should be 'living in cities has soared') and 'will reached' (should be 'will reach'). There are also issues with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, such as 'Philippines number start' (should be 'the Philippines' figure started') and 'declined' (should be 'declined'). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the overall meaning from being understood.

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