Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-15
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 graph illustrates the proportion of the population in four Asian countries, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, residing in urban areas from 1970 to 2020 with projections for the following twenty years.
Overall, the urban population of all four countries increased over time, while Malaysia and Indonesia experienced a significant increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas and this upward trend is expected to continue in all four countries over the following twenty years.
According to details presented in the graph, the population of the Malaysia was significantly increased from 30% to 70% over fifty years from 1970 to 2020 and is expected to reach 80% in next twenty years. The Indonesia experienced dramatic increase from 12% in 1970 to 50% in 2020 and is expected to rise 60% in following twenty years.
In addition, The Philippines's urban population was 30% in 1970 and with little fluctuation reached 45% in 2020 and is predicted to rise 55% in 2040. The proportion of people living in urban areas in Thailand will also continue to rise from 19% in 1970 and will reach 45% in coming twenty years according to the graph.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all four countries and spans the entire given time frame, successfully presenting an overview and reporting key trends and figures. The overview correctly identifies the general upward trend across all countries and highlights the substantial growth in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, there are some inaccuracies in the specific data points reported in the body paragraphs; for instance, Malaysia's 1970 figure is stated as 30% (chart shows around 30%) but its 2020 figure reached 76% rather than 70%, and Indonesia's 1970 figure is noted as 12% instead of 14%. Despite these minor numerical discrepancies, the response adequately selects and reports the main features and makes relevant comparisons, meeting the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is arranged logically into four clear paragraphs: an introduction, an overview paragraph, and two body paragraphs detailing the specific country data. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall', 'According to details presented in the graph', and 'In addition'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate general trends from specific data. However, referencing and progression could be smoother, and some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Overall arrangement is coherent, satisfying the criteria for a Band 6.5 or 7.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, incorporating terms such as 'proportion', 'residing in urban areas', 'projections', and 'dramatic increase'. There are, however, some awkward word choices and phrasing, such as 'the population of the Malaysia was significantly increased' (passive voice misused with an intransitive verb) and 'rise 60%' instead of 'rise to 60%'. Despite these errors, the lexical range is sufficient to communicate the main points clearly, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and time markers effectively (e.g., 'while Malaysia and Indonesia experienced...'). However, there are recurring grammatical errors throughout the text, including article misuse ('the Malaysia', 'The Indonesia'), preposition errors ('reach 80% in next twenty years'), and tense/voice issues ('was significantly increased'). These errors occasionally disrupt the flow, but they do not impede overall communication. This performance aligns with the Band 6.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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