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 line graph presents the proportion of the population living in cities in four different Asian countries between 1970 and 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, all countries experienced an upward trajectory, and their predictions followed the same trend. The Philippines faced some fluctuations in the whole period, but at the end the proportion of it was greater than at the beginning.

Firstly, the Philippines was on top with 31% in 1970 and jumped to 32% in 1980. The Philippines faced a significant increase to about 50% in 1990 and fell to 45% in 2000 and followed the same trajectory in 2010 with a 40% share. In 2020, there was slight growth in the share of the Philippines, which moved to 42%. The prediction for the Philippines is an upward trend with about 50% in 2030 and approximately 52% in 2040. Secondly, Malaysia jumped from 30% in 1970 to 40%, but in 1980 it climbed to about 45%. Moreover, Malaysia surpassed the Philippines, which moved to 60% in 2010, and then followed the upward trend with 70% in 2010 and jumped to 75% in 2020. The prediction for Malaysia showed 80% for 2030 and about 83% for 2040.

In addition, Thailand jumped from 19% in 1970 to 22% in 1980 and climbed to 27% in 1990. From 1990 to 2020, Thailand witnessed the plateaued trend and reached about 28% in 2020. The prediction for Thailand showed an upward trajectory with 35% for 2030 and about 42% for 2040. In the end, Indonesia faced an upward trend, with 13% in 1970 and 16% in 1980, then jumping from 22% in 1990 to 25% in 2000. In 2010, Indonesia surpassed Thailand, and in 2020, it outweighed the Philippines. The prediction showed 60% for 2030 and 62% in 2040 for Indonesia.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview. You covered all four countries and included the required data points for the start, end, and prediction years. However, there are some inaccuracies in your data reporting. For example, you stated the Philippines fell to 45% in 2000 and 40% in 2010, whereas the graph shows a more stable or slightly different pattern. Additionally, your description of Malaysia's data is confusing, as you mention 70% twice for different years. To improve, ensure you double-check the figures against the graph to avoid misrepresenting the data.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs for each country. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' to guide the reader. However, the transition between ideas within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing of data points is occasionally repetitive. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the flow could be improved by grouping countries with similar trends rather than listing them individually, which would create a more sophisticated structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'upward trajectory', 'plateaued', and 'outweighed'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'the proportion of it was greater' and 'the prediction for the Philippines is an upward trend'. Using 'jumped' repeatedly to describe increases limits your lexical variety. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise verbs and nouns related to data analysis, such as 'surged', 'fluctuated', or 'a marginal increase'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'the proportion of it was greater' (which is vague) and 'the prediction for Malaysia showed 80% for 2030' (tense inconsistency). Some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'Thailand witnessed the plateaued trend'. Improving your control over articles and ensuring consistent verb tenses when discussing future predictions versus past data will help improve your accuracy.

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.