Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-30

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 gives information about percentage of the total population living in cities of four Asian countries from the year 1970 to 2020, along with the expected population for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the graph compares population of four Asian countries: Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Thailand had the lowest population percentage throughout the years. On the other hand, Malaysia had the highest number of population percentage. All four countries had their population increased drastically from 1970 to 2020, and is expected to increase more in 2030 and 2040.

Indonesia had about 12% population in the year 1970 and it reached around 50% by the year 2020. It is expected to reach 60% by 2040. Thailand initially had 19% population in the year 1970. It climbed up to 30% by the year 1990 and is relatively constant till 2020, but it is expected to climb to 50% by 2040. Philippines had about 31% population in 1970. It almost reached 50% by 1990, but it was then dragged back to 40% by the year 2010. It is now expected to go back to 50% by 2040.

Meanwhile, Malaysia had the most drastic growth in population throughout the whole timeline. It started from 30% in 1970 and reached about 75% by 2020. It is expected to grow even more in the subsequent years, reaching around 80% by the year 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student covers all parts of the task by reporting the main features, trends, and comparisons of the four countries. An overview is successfully provided in the second paragraph, outlining general trends and relative standings. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in quoting specific data points compared to the visual data (for example, stating Thailand had 19% in 1970 and Indonesia had 12%), though these are minor deviations that do not undermine the overall effectiveness of the response. The selection of data is generally appropriate, and the key trends—such as Malaysia's steep growth—are clearly highlighted. The response meets the criteria for Band 6.5 to 7.0; it captures all relevant aspects and presents a clear overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is organized into four logical paragraphs: an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing individual country data. There is a clear logical progression throughout the text. Cohesive devices are used adequately to link sentences and ideas, such as "Overall", "On the other hand", and "Meanwhile". Paragraphing is managed appropriately, separating the general overview from the detailed country-by-country breakdown. While some of the referencing and transitions are slightly mechanical, the overall structure allows for a smooth reading experience, fully satisfying the requirements for Band 6.5 to 7.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, with attempts to use less common items and descriptive phrases such as "drastic growth", "relatively constant", and "subsequent years". However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as "number of population percentage" instead of simply "percentage of the population", and "population increased" where it refers to the percentage of urban population rather than total population growth. Despite these occasional lexical slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding the reader, placing it firmly in the Band 6.5 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The student employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and time-phrase introductions. There are several instances of awkward grammatical phrasing, such as "population of four Asian countries" missing an article in the overview, and "is expected to increase more" where passive voice or a more precise structure would be better. Grammatical accuracy is acceptable with frequent error-free sentences, but minor slips persist. Punctuation is generally correct, and errors do not impede communication, which aligns well with the Band 6.5 descriptors.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.