Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-24
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 7.5)
The line graph illustrates the percentage of people living in cities in four Asian countries— the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia—between 1970 and 2020, with projections for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, the proportion of urban residents increased in all four countries over the period. Malaysia experienced the highest and most consistent growth and is expected to remain the most urbanised country by 2040. Indonesia also saw a substantial rise, particularly after 2000, while Thailand had the lowest figures for most of the period. In contrast, the Philippines showed some fluctuation before increasing again.
In 1970, around 32% of the population in the Philippines lived in cities, slightly higher than Malaysia at approximately 30%. Thailand and Indonesia were considerably lower, at about 18% and 14% respectively. By 1990, the Philippines had risen sharply to just under 50%, temporarily overtaking Malaysia, which stood at around 45%.
After 1990, however, Malaysia increased dramatically, reaching about 60% in 2000 and roughly 75% in 2020. It is forecast to exceed 80% by 2040. Indonesia also grew steadily, from around 30% in 2000 to just over 50% in 2020, and is predicted to reach approximately 64% by 2040.
Meanwhile, the Philippines declined slightly from its 1990 peak to around 43% in 2010 before recovering to about 56% by 2040. Thailand rose more gradually, from 18% in 1970 to around 33% in 2020, and is expected to increase more rapidly to approximately 50% by 2040.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The student has successfully covered all parts of the task by reporting the main features, selecting appropriate data, and making relevant comparisons across all four countries throughout the given timeframe. An effective overview is provided, highlighting the general upward trend in urbanisation and pointing out key extremes such as Malaysia's high growth and Thailand's lower figures for most of the period. Specific data points, such as Malaysia reaching 75% in 2020 and the Philippines' fluctuation around 1990, are accurately cited and contrasted effectively. The response meets all criteria for a high task achievement band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The response is logically organised, with a clear progression of information from a general introduction and overview into well-structured body paragraphs detailing specific decades and countries. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively (e.g., 'In contrast', 'After 1990, however', 'Meanwhile'), ensuring smooth transitions between ideas. Paragraphing is logical and contributes directly to the overall clarity of the report. Referencing and substitution are managed skilfully, making the text very easy to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 7.0
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible vocabulary suited to academic report writing, successfully employing less common lexical items such as 'urbanisation', 'projections', 'fluctuation', and 'consistently'. Word choices and collocations are generally precise, as seen in phrases like 'substantial rise', 'dramatically', and 'gradually'. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies that do not impede communication, reflecting a strong command of lexical resources.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
A wide variety of complex sentence structures is used effectively throughout the text, including participial clauses and time-clause constructions (e.g., 'with predictions for 2030 and 2040', 'It is forecast to exceed 80% by 2040'). The majority of sentences are entirely error-free, and punctuation is handled with a high degree of control. Minor slips are extremely rare, which fully justifies a high band score for grammatical range and accuracy.
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