Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-11

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 illustrates the proportion of the population of 4 different countries living in cities between 1970 and 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the highest percentage of people living in cities was in Malaysia, whereas Thailand remained the smallest country with lowest share.

In 1970, Philippines population living in urban areas was just above 30%. In 1990, it almost reached 50%. In contrast Malaysian population was slightly below than philippines population standing around 44% in 1990. After 1990, the population of people living in cities declined approximately to 41% in 2010, however it increased slightly, furthermore it is predicted that it will reach above 50% in 2040. In contrary Malaysian population surged dramatically reaching above 70% in 2020. By 2030 and 2040 it will reached around 80%.

In 1970, the people living in Thailand was just below 20% and it almost reached 30% in 1990. Indonesia also followed the same pattern until 1990, standing just above 20%, however its population boosted considerably to just above 50% in 2020. It is claimed that it will grow even more above 60% in 2040. But, Thailand's population fluctuations till 2020, however it will reach 50% in 2040.

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 timeframes, including the predictions. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting of the data. For example, you state that Malaysia had the highest percentage in 1970, but the graph shows the Philippines started higher. Additionally, your description of the Philippines' trend is slightly confusing, as you mention a decline after 1990 that is not clearly supported by the visual data. To improve, ensure that your data points are precisely extracted and that your comparisons between countries are accurate to the graph provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'however', and 'furthermore' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by mechanical phrasing, such as 'In contrary' (which should be 'In contrast') and some awkward sentence structures in the final paragraph. The progression of information is generally clear, but the transition between the description of Indonesia and Thailand in the final paragraph is somewhat abrupt. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words would help the text flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion', 'surged', 'fluctuations', and 'boosted'. There are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'smallest country' (referring to the percentage of urban population rather than the physical size of the country) and 'it is claimed that' (which is not appropriate for describing a graph's projections). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, you should aim for more precise terminology when describing statistical trends and avoid using informal or inaccurate phrasing to describe the data source.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'below than philippines population' (should be 'lower than the Philippines''), 'it will reached' (should be 'it will reach'), and 'the people living in Thailand was' (should be 'the percentage of people... was'). These errors are frequent but do not generally impede communication. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage for future predictions, and more consistent control over articles and prepositions. Increasing the number of error-free sentences will significantly improve your score.

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

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