Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-04

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 given line graph shows the proportion of human life in four Asian nations living in urban areas, over a time period of 50 years starting from 1970, with estimates for 2030 and 2040 aswell.

Overall, the trend of population growth is upward, with Malaysia showing the most stable growth comapred to others. Though the history shows some decline, the projected growth for all the countries is predicted to be positive, rising from their previous numbers.

Philippines started with the most population in the cities with a percentage of about 30% closely followed by Malaysia which is then followed by Thailand and Indonesia who had their urban population under 20% in the 70s. The population graph of Malaysia and Indonesia primarily remained upward compared to Philippines which saw a major drop in population from about 50% in 1990 to near 40% in 2010 and similarly for Thailand which eventhough didn't face a drop but remained at around 30% for three decades till 2020 and then sharply rising. With respect to the projected growth, Malaysis looks to endup at 80% of its population in the hustle and bustle of city life followed by Indonesia, Philippines and then finally Thailand nearing 45%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the task, including the historical data and future projections. You successfully identify the main trends, such as the overall upward trajectory and the specific growth patterns of Malaysia. However, the description of the data is occasionally imprecise. For example, stating the Philippines started at 'about 30%' is slightly inaccurate compared to the visual data, and the comparison between countries could be more structured. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited more accurately and that the 'main features' are highlighted more distinctly in the overview, rather than mixing them with detailed descriptions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from general trends to specific country comparisons. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'aswell' (which is a spelling error) and the transition 'Though the history shows some decline'. Paragraphing is present, but the internal flow within the second body paragraph could be improved by using more varied linking words to contrast the different growth rates of the four nations effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'urban areas', and 'projected growth'. However, there are instances of imprecise or informal word choices, such as 'human life' (instead of 'population') and 'hustle and bustle of city life', which is too informal for an Academic Task 1 report. There are also minor spelling errors like 'comapred' and 'Malaysis'. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensure that your spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'Philippines started with the most population in the cities' (should be 'the highest percentage of the urban population') and 'eventhough didn't face a drop'. Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as the lack of commas in complex sentences. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly.

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

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