Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-20

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 given line graph depicts the data in percentage of population in four distinct Asian nations that reside in cities from 1970 to 2020 along with predictions of 2030 and 2040.

Overall, it is evident that the nation with greatest percentage of population living in cities is Malaysia. where as, nation with least populated in cities was Indonesia.

In 1970, around 30% of the population in the Philippines and Malaysia lived in cities. This figure was about 18% in Thailand and 14% in Indonesia. By 1990, the percentage for the Philippines had increased to almost 50%, making it the highest among the four countries at that time. Malaysia also rose to approximately 45%.

From 2000 onwards, Malaysia saw a steady increase, reaching about 60% in 2030 and more than 80% in 2040. Indonesia also grew considerably, from around 30% in 2000 to about 63% in 2040. The Philippines fluctuated slightly between 2000 and 2010 before rising gradually to approximately 55% by 2040.

Thailand had a slower increase. Its figure rose from around 18% in 1970 to 30% in 1990 and remained relatively stable until 2020. However, it is predicted to reach about 50% by 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear overview and reporting the main features and trends across the four countries. The overview successfully identifies Malaysia as having the highest urban population and Indonesia as initially having the lowest. Key data points are correctly cited, such as the 1970 figures (around 30% for the Philippines and Malaysia, 18% for Thailand, and 14% for Indonesia) and the final predictions for 2040. The student makes relevant comparisons between the countries and accurately traces trajectories over time, such as Malaysia's steep rise to over 80%. Minor inaccuracies, such as stating Malaysia reached about 60% in 2030 instead of 2000/2030 projections confusion, do not detract from the overall quality of the task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear progression from an introductory sentence to an overall summary and subsequent body paragraphs detailing specific time periods and countries. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate different nations and eras, such as treating Thailand in its own paragraph. Cohesive devices are employed adequately, for example, 'By 1990', 'From 2000 onwards', and 'However'. However, there is a minor mechanical error in the second paragraph with punctuation and sentence fragmentation ('Malaysia. where as, nation with least...'), which slightly lowers the cohesion score to a 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'greatest percentage', 'fluctuated slightly', 'rising gradually', and 'relatively stable' show an ability to describe graphical data effectively. However, there are some awkward lexical choices and phrasing errors, such as 'nation with least populated in cities was Indonesia' instead of 'the least populated nation' or 'the country with the lowest percentage'. Spelling is generally accurate, but minor word-choice inaccuracies place this response firmly in Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and time clauses appropriately (e.g., 'The given line graph depicts the data in percentage of population... that reside in cities'). There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues, most notably in the second paragraph ('Malaysia. where as, nation with least populated...'), missing articles ('the data in percentage'), and preposition choices. Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the intended meaning, consistent with Band 6 descriptors.

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

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