Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-29
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 urban population in four Asian countries—Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand—from 1970 to 2020, with projections up to 2040.
Overall, all countries show an upward trend, though with varying patterns and rates of growth. Malaysia consistently had the highest proportion, rising sharply from 30% in 1970 to 76% in 2020, and is expected to reach 83% by 2040. In contrast, the Philippines experienced a similar increase until 1990 (from 32% to 49%), after which it declined to 42% in 2010 before recovering to 45% in 2020, with a predicted rise to 56% in 2040. Indonesia and Thailand started at lower levels (14% and 18% respectively in 1970).
Indonesia’s urban population grew steadily, overtaking Thailand in 2010 and reaching 52% in 2020, while Thailand remained stable at around 30% from 1990 to 2020. By 2040, Indonesia is projected to hit 64%, whereas Thailand is expected to reach only 50%, the lowest among the four. Overall, while Malaysia and Indonesia are set to have the highest urbanization rates, the Philippines and Thailand will lag behind, with Thailand showing the slowest growth.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The student covers all parts of the task well, providing a clear overview and reporting key features and comparisons across all four countries from 1970 to 2040. Data points such as Malaysia rising sharply from 30% to 76% in 2020 and Indonesia overtaking Thailand in 2010 are accurately cited and supported. The selection of main trends is logical and comprehensive, meeting the requirements of Band 8.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
Information and ideas are logically sequenced with a clear overall progression throughout the response. The text is divided effectively into an introduction, overview, and supporting body paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used naturally and appropriately, such as 'In contrast', 'while', and 'whereas', ensuring that relationships between data points are clear and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The student uses a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, incorporating terms like 'urbanization rates', 'projections', 'gradual', and 'fluctuated'. Collocations are mostly natural, and word choices such as 'overtaking' and 'recovering' demonstrate flexibility and precision, fitting comfortably within the Band 7 descriptor.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
A good variety of complex sentence structures is used successfully, such as 'The line graph illustrates the percentage...' and 'Indonesia’s urban population grew steadily, overtaking Thailand...'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and control of punctuation and tense consistency across past data and future projections is strong, warranting a Band 8.
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