Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

The line graph illustrates the percentage of people living in cities in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia between 1970 and 2020, with projections for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, the proportion of urban residents is expected to increase in all four countries. Malaysia shows the most significant and consistent growth and is projected to remain the country with the highest level of urbanisation. In contrast, the Philippines experiences some fluctuations, while Thailand has the lowest figures for most of the period.

In 1970, approximately 32% of the population of the Philippines lived in cities, compared with around 30% in Malaysia. The figure for the Philippines rose to about 48% in 1990, before falling gradually to roughly 43% in 2010. It then increased again, reaching around 46% in 2020, and is predicted to rise to approximately 56% by 2040.

Malaysia experienced a much stronger upward trend. After increasing from about 30% in 1970 to 45% in 1990, the percentage climbed sharply to 60% in 2000 and approximately 71% in 2010. It continued to grow to around 76% in 2020 and is forecast to reach over 80% by 2030, before reaching about 83% in 2040.

Thailand and Indonesia started with considerably lower levels of urbanisation. Thailand increased from approximately 18% in 1970 to 30% in 1990, remaining relatively stable until 2020, when it stood at about 33%. However, it is expected to rise more rapidly thereafter, reaching around 41% in 2030 and 50% in 2040. Indonesia, meanwhile, rose steadily from about 14% in 1970 to 30% in 2000, followed by a sharp increase to approximately 52% in 2020. This figure is projected to reach about 64% by 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The response covers all parts of the task well, providing a fully developed overview and selecting all key features and comparisons from the graph. The trends for the four countries—the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia—are accurately reported and contrasted across the given timeline. For instance, the distinction between Malaysia's consistent upward trajectory and the Philippines' minor fluctuations is clearly articulated. The data points cited, such as Malaysia reaching 76% in 2020 and Indonesia climbing from 14% in 1970 to 52% in 2020, are accurate and faithfully reflect the visual data. The response demonstrates a well-crafted approach to academic writing without any omissions or irrelevant details, sitting comfortably at the high level reflected by the assigned band.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information is grouped logically by country and time period, allowing the reader to follow the narrative effortlessly. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, overall overview, and individual country body paragraphs into distinct, manageable blocks. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'After increasing', 'before falling gradually', and 'meanwhile' are managed well to establish relationships between ideas without feeling mechanical. While referencing is generally clear and cohesive links are handled smoothly, occasional adjustments in transitional phrasing could make the flow even more seamless to reach the highest standards of cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The vocabulary used demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range suitable for discussing graphical data. The student successfully employs less common and topic-specific lexical items such as 'urbanisation', 'fluctuations', 'upward trend', and 'projections' with natural control. Word choice and collocations are generally precise, seen in phrases like 'consistent growth', 'sharply to 60%', and 'considerably lower levels'. There are only occasional minor limitations, and meaning is communicated with high precision. To push even further, the incorporation of more sophisticated synonyms for statistical changes would elevate the lexical variety.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response features a wide range of structures, including complex sentences with dependent clauses, time markers, and passive or predictive constructions ('is expected to increase', 'is predicted to rise', 'which stood at about 33%'). The majority of sentences are error-free, showcasing excellent control over verb forms and tenses across past records and future forecasts. Grammatical structures, punctuation, and articles are handled accurately throughout. Only very occasional minor slips occur, meaning the grammatical control is exceptionally strong and meets the criteria for error-free complexity across most of the text.

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