Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-03

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 proportion of the total number of people living in urban areas in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia from 1970 to 2020, while predicting it for the next two decades.

Overall, the population in Malaysia increased steadily throughout the years and is expected to grow in the upcoming years. There is a fluctuation in the proportion of the Philippines' population. Thailand and Indonesian people also rose gradually, and all countries' populations will increase.

Malaysian people constituted 30% of the total population in 1970. It saw a moderate increase of just over 70% till 2020. However, there is a possibility of further increase in population till 2040. Indonesia accounted for nearly a 40% increase in its population during the five decades and will grow more, making it a second largest country by proportion.

Citizens of the Philippines fluctuated from around 30% in 1970 to just under 50% in 1990 and then decreased to 40% in 2010. It is expected to reach nearly 55% in 2040. Thailand's population saw a 10% rise till 1990 and remained stable till 2020. But it will climb to 50% in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by reporting on the four countries and covering both past data and future predictions. However, some areas are under-developed or contain inaccuracies in data interpretation. For example, the student writes that Malaysia saw a 'moderate increase of just over 70% till 2020,' when the figure actually rose by about 46% (from 30% to 76%). Similarly, stating that Indonesia accounted for 'a 40% increase in its population' misinterprets percentage points of urbanization as overall population numbers. While an overview is attempted, it is somewhat vague and focuses incorrectly on 'Thailand and Indonesian people' rising rather than the urbanization rate. To reach a higher band, the student needs to select and report data more accurately without loose phrasing that blurs the distinction between total population and urban percentage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt at paragraphing, separating the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific countries. Information is generally ordered logically, grouping Malaysia and Indonesia together and the Philippines and Thailand in the final paragraph. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. The use of transition words like 'However' and 'But' is occasionally abrupt, and referencing can be imprecise, such as using 'It' without a completely clear antecedent in sentences discussing national statistics. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion within paragraphs could be smoother to establish a more transparent logical progression throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate main trends using terms such as 'proportion,' 'fluctuated,' 'stable,' and 'climb.' The writer attempts some less common vocabulary and synonyms like 'urban areas' and 'citizens,' though these are occasionally accompanied by awkward word choice or minor imprecision, such as referring to countries as 'Malaysian people' rather than the population of Malaysia. Spelling is generally accurate, and word-choice errors do not impede communication. To achieve a higher band, the student should incorporate a wider and more precise range of vocabulary related to data trends and collocations without awkward phrasings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The text exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over past, present, and future modal structures such as 'is expected to reach' and 'will climb.' There are some errors in grammar, such as missing articles ('making it a second largest country' instead of 'the second largest') and occasional preposition slip-ups, but these errors rarely impede communication and do not obscure the intended meaning. The majority of simple sentences are accurate, while attempts at more complex structures show developing control. To move to a higher band, the student needs to produce a greater proportion of error-free complex sentences and refine article usage.

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.