Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-10
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)
e line graph provides details about the percentage of the population across four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to today, with projections for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, the population of Malaysia escalated from second highest to top of the list, whereas, the number of citizens in Thailand mostly plateaued and at the end of the period become the lowest population holder.
In 1970, Malaysia started with approximately 30\% of residents in urban areas, surged to 40\% become the highest among all countries in 1980, then it skyrocketed to 83\% in 2024. In contrast, Philippines started with 32\%, increased to 50\% of total population and predicted to reach the peak of 54\% in 2040.
Conversely, Thailand began roughly with 18\% in 1970, rose to 29\% in 1990, remained standardize for a decade and is expected to proliferate to 48\% in 2040. Furthermore, Indonesia commenced from a meager base of below 15\% in 1970, gradually reached approximately 29\% in 2020 and is estimated to reach almost 47\% at the end of period 2024.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task and provides a clear overview of the main trends. You successfully identified the key features, such as Malaysia's significant growth and the relative stability of other nations. However, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting; for instance, you mention 2024 as the end of the period, whereas the prompt specifies 2040. Additionally, the description of Thailand's trend as 'standardize' is imprecise. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are accurately transcribed from the graph and that the overview highlights the most significant differences between the countries more clearly.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Conversely', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas effectively. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'remained standardize' and 'at the end of period 2024'. While the paragraphing is sufficient, the flow between sentences could be improved by ensuring that the transition between the general overview and the specific data points is smoother. Overall, the structure is clear and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main trends, using words like 'escalated', 'skyrocketed', and 'proliferate'. However, there are some instances of inappropriate word choice and collocation errors. For example, 'remained standardize' is incorrect; 'remained stable' or 'plateaued' would be more accurate. Similarly, 'lowest population holder' is an awkward way to describe a country's urbanization rate. While your vocabulary is adequate for the task, you need to focus on using less common items with greater precision and better awareness of natural collocations to achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as 'become the highest' (should be 'becoming the highest') and 'at the end of period 2024' (missing article). Additionally, the phrase 'remained standardize' shows a lack of control over verb forms. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and verb tenses when describing future projections.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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