Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-01

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 the population in Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia over the period from 1970 to 2040.

Overall, Malaysia and Indonesia showed an upward trend, while Philippines and Thailand fluctuated throughout the period. By the end of the period, Malaysia recorded the highest figure.

At the beginning of the period, Malaysia stood at approximately 30% of the population living in the city, followed by Indonesia at 12% of citizens living in the city. Malaysia then increased sharply to 60% the of population in 2000, while Indonesia also rose, reaching 30% of the population. After this, Malaysia continued to increase, whereas Indonesia also increased steadily and stood in second place.

Turning to the other figures, Philippines started at around 30% of the population and experienced fluctuations throughout the period. Meanwhile, Thailand followed a similar pattern, fluctating from 25% to 30% and from then on it showed an upward trend at the end of the period. By the final year, Malaysia had the highest figure, whereas Thailand was the lowest.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main parts of the prompt by covering the four countries and outlining overall trends across the time period, earning it a solid mid-level score. An overview is present, noting the upward trajectories and the final leading country, which satisfies basic reporting requirements. However, some aspects of the task are handled unevenly or inaccurately. For instance, the data points for the starting year contain factual errors compared to the visual data (such as stating Indonesia was at 12% when it started around 14%, and missing the Philippines' starting figure precisely). Furthermore, the description of Thailand's fluctuations and Indonesia's early figures lack full development and precision, missing key comparative milestones that would elevate the summary to a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The report demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a logical division into introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that separate the countries into groups. Information is generally easy to follow, and the progression from past trends to future projections is clear. However, cohesion within and between sentences can sometimes feel mechanical or slightly repetitive, particularly with phrases like 'and then on it showed' or repeated use of 'the population'. Reference pronouns and cohesive devices are functional but lack the smooth, flexible integration characteristic of higher bands. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main groups of countries, maintaining structural clarity throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying general trends such as 'upward trend', 'fluctuated', and 'increased sharply'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items and phrases related to data description, though there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and expression, such as 'stood at approximately 30% of the population living in the city' and awkward phrasings like '60% the of population'. Spelling is generally accurate, and word-choice errors do not impede communication, allowing the reader to grasp the intended meaning easily. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to incorporate more precise lexical chunks and avoid repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response successfully employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing introductory clauses and subordinate structures like 'while Philippines and Thailand fluctuated' and 'whereas Indonesia also increased steadily'. There is a good foundation of error-free sentences, and control over tense usage for past data and future projections is generally maintained. Some errors in grammar and punctuation do occur, such as missing articles ('in Philippines' instead of 'in the Philippines'), minor preposition issues, and a typo ('fluctating'), but these errors rarely impede communication and do not obscure the intended meaning. This performance fits comfortably within the mid-range expectations for grammatical control.

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