Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-02

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 chart illustrates the proportion of the population in four Asian countries–the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia–living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with the prediction for 2030 and 2040.

Overall, it is clear that among all four countries the Philippines recorded declining figure of urbanised population. Malaysia recorded the highest increase in population living in cities over the given period, whereas Thailand had the lowest figure. Although, Indonesia initially recorded the lowest numbers, it reached to the second-highest position.

In 1970, the Philippines and Malaysia stood at approximately 31% and 30% with population living in cities, while Thailand at around 19% and Indonesia at 13%.

Indonesia surpassed the urban population figures of Thailand and the Philippines in 2000 and 2010, respectively. It peaked over time and is projected at rank second at around 60% by 2040. Malaysia with expected figure approximately 88% by 2040, supposed to be at position first.

The Philippines recorded considerable fluctuations from 1980 to 2010 and being only country with decline in urban population. It has been projected to reach at around 55% in 2040. By contrast, Thailand recorded the lowest urban population at approximately 47% in 2020.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by presenting an overview and reporting the main trends and data for all four countries. An overview is provided, noting the differing trajectories of the nations, such as Malaysia's significant growth and Thailand starting at a lower point. However, some ideas are under-developed or contain inaccuracies when compared against the visual data. For instance, stating that the Philippines recorded a declining figure of urbanised population overlooks the fact that it ends higher than it started, despite fluctuations. Additionally, some data points are misreported or imprecise, such as claiming Thailand recorded an urban population of approximately 47% in 2020 when the actual figure was around 33.5%. These inaccuracies and slightly under-developed comparisons place the response firmly at this level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the essay logically. It begins with an introductory paragraph, moves into a clear overview, and then details specific data across subsequent paragraphs. Paragraphing is used adequately to separate different parts of the data. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. For instance, the transition 'Although, Indonesia initially recorded the lowest numbers, it reached to the second-highest position' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Referencing and cohesive links between sentences could be managed more flexibly to ensure a smoother progression of ideas throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'proportion', 'urbanised population', 'fluctuations', and 'projected'. There are appropriate attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'surpassed' and 'peaks over time'. However, there are some word-choice, collocation, and phrasing errors that prevent a higher band, such as 'recorded declining figure' instead of 'experienced a fluctuating trend' or 'reached to the second-highest position' where 'reached' does not require 'to'. Minor lexical inaccuracies occur, but they do not impede overall communication and allow the reader to follow the intended data points.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like introductory clauses and relative predictions. There are some noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation, though they rarely impede communication. Examples include missing articles or preposition errors, such as 'with population living in cities' instead of 'living in cities', and awkward phrasing like 'Malaysia with expected figure approximately 88% by 2040, supposed to be at position first', which lacks necessary verbs and articles. Complex sentence attempts are sometimes faulty, reflecting the mix of error-free sentences and persistent grammatical slips characteristic of this level.

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

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