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 line graph illustrates the percentage of people living in cities in four Asian countries, namely the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, between 1970 and 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, it is clear that Malaysia had the highest percentage of people living in cities in the later years, and this figure is predicted to increase further in the future. Another noticeable feature is that Thailand had the lowest percentage among the four countries for most of the period.
Looking first at Malaysia and Indonesia, in 1970, approximately 30% of the population in Malaysia lived in cities, compared with around 15% in Indonesia. After that, the percentage increased considerably in both countries. By 2000, the figure for Malaysia had risen to around 75%, while Indonesia reached approximately 65%.
Turning to the future predictions, Malaysia is expected to have the highest percentage of people living in cities in both 2030 and 2040, at around 90% and 95%, respectively. Indonesia is also predicted to increase, reaching approximately 65% by 2040. The Philippines shows some fluctuations, with a decrease after 2010 followed by a predicted increase in 2030 and 2040. In contrast, Thailand is expected to increase gradually throughout the period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student provides a good overview of the main trends shown in the graph and attempts to select and report key features. However, there are some significant inaccuracies in data reporting when compared to the source chart. For instance, the student states that by 2000, Malaysia rose to 'around 75%' (the actual value is 60%) and Indonesia reached 'approximately 65%' (the actual value is 30.5%). Furthermore, the future predictions for Malaysia in 2030 and 2040 ('around 90% and 95%') and Indonesia ('reaching approximately 65% by 2040') deviate notably from the graph's actual values (81%/83.5% for Malaysia and 64% for Indonesia in 2040). Because several figures are misread or miscalculated, the Task Achievement score is impacted, though the overall structure of reporting trends is present.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response is organized logically into four paragraphs, starting with a clear introduction, followed by an overall summary paragraph, and then breaking down the body of the text into specific time periods and country groupings. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Looking first at', 'Turning to the future predictions', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the visual information, and referencing is generally clear throughout the text, contributing to an overall coherent structure.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing graphical data, including appropriate terms such as 'illustrates', 'percentage', 'fluctuations', 'increase gradually', and 'predictions'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'considerably' and 'respectively'. However, the lexical range is somewhat limited and repetitive in places (e.g., repeating 'percentage of people living in cities'). Word choice is generally appropriate, though some inaccuracies in data interpretation affect precise lexical execution.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as introductory participial clauses ('Looking first at Malaysia and Indonesia...') and subordinate clauses ('while Indonesia reached approximately 65%'). Grammatical control is fairly good, with many error-free sentences. The errors that do occur are minor and do not impede communication. Punctuation is generally accurate, and tense control across past data and future predictions is handled reasonably well.
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