Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-05

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 6.5)

The line graph gives information about the percentage of the population living in cities in four Asian countries — the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia — from 1970 to 2020, with projections up to 2040.

Overall, it can be seen that Malaysia's percentage showed a significant increase during the period, while the proportion of urban population in Thailand experienced a slow and steady upward trend, remaining consistently below the other countries for most of the period.

In detail, the urban population rates of the Philippines and Malaysia were 33% and 30% respectively in 1970. Malaysia went up sharply through the period, exceeding the Philippines in 1980 and reaching 83% by the end of the period. In the percentage of Indonesia, in 1970 it increased to 17% in 1980, and then remained around 25-30% until 2000. From 2000 to 2010 it experienced a rapid surge to more than 40%, and continued with a gradual rise to 64% in 2040.

Moving on to the Philippines and Thailand, in the early 1990s, the Philippines' rate of 49% was the highest among the four countries. However, it sharply declined at approximately 42% by 2010, recording a lower percentage than both Malaysia and Indonesia at that point. Then, there was a rise of around 14 percentage points to 56% by 2040, but Thailand's rate, at 50%, was still the lowest among the four countries by the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all requirements of the task, providing a clear overview and selecting key features for comparison. You successfully identified the main trends for all four countries and included relevant data points. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you mention the Philippines' rate was 49% in the early 1990s, but the graph shows it was lower, and your description of the Philippines' decline to 42% by 2010 is slightly inconsistent with the visual data. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are transcribed with absolute precision, as accuracy is a key component of Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, and you use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'In detail,' 'Moving on to,' and 'However' to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different countries. While the flow is generally good, some transitions between sentences feel slightly mechanical. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated referencing to link ideas across sentences, which will help the essay feel more cohesive and less like a list of facts.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'projections,' 'upward trend,' and 'rapid surge' effectively. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is appropriate for an Academic Task 1. However, there are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'In the percentage of Indonesia' and 'went up sharply through the period.' These do not impede communication but prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on more precise collocations for describing trends will enhance your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'While the proportion... experienced a slow and steady upward trend.' Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow. There are some minor grammatical errors, such as 'In the percentage of Indonesia, in 1970 it increased to 17% in 1980,' which is slightly awkward in construction. Additionally, ensure consistent use of prepositions when discussing data. Overall, your control of grammar is good, and the errors present are infrequent and do not cause confusion for the reader.

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

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