Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-08

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 demonstrates the ratio of the people living in urban areas in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia from 1970 to 2020 along with the forecasts for 2030 and 2040.

From the graph, it can be seen that all countries saw urbanization. Indonesia and Malaysia saw the highest increase on the number of people residing in cities. Philippines on the other hand, had the highest number of people staying in the city initially, but at the end had the slowest growth. Thailand also saw a gradual increase in the number of people moving to metropolises.

Malaysia had 30 percent of people living in cities during 1970. This number more increase more than two-folds by the year 2000. By 2020 it reached around 76 percent and it is forecasted to cross above 80 percent by 2040. Indonesia had a modest 14 percent of the population residing in cities in 1970, massive urbanization saw this number grow substantially over the years to around 51 percent in 2020. Predictions show this number to grow to around 81 percent in the next 20 years.

Thailand had the highest number of people dwelling in cities, around 31 million, this number grew to around 49 percent in 20 years. Thailand then underwent a transition period, where the number declined to 42 percent in 2010. It is now forecasted that more than half of the population will reside in urban areas by 2040. The Philippines also saw a steady increase in the number of inhabitants in the city, starting with 13 percent. This share more than doubled to 30 percent by 1990 and then remained pretty stable till 2020 to reach 31 percent. It is expected that half of the population will live in cities by 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response identifies the broad upward trend and includes an overview, noting Malaysia and Indonesia’s substantial growth and the Philippines’ slower later rise. However, several key comparisons and figures are inaccurate, which limits how fully the chart is reported. Most seriously, Thailand is described as having “around 31 million” city residents and then declining to 42 percent; the graph shows percentages, and Thailand rises gradually from about 18% to 33.5% by 2020. The Philippines is also said to finish at 31%, whereas it is about 45.5% in 2020 and is projected to reach roughly 55.5% in 2040. Indonesia’s 2040 figure is given as 81%, but it is about 64%. Select the main trends accurately and check each country’s figures before comparing them.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a summary of the main trends, and country-focused detail paragraphs. This makes the information easy to follow, and transitions such as “On the other hand” and “By 2020” help signal comparisons and time changes. However, the country-by-country organisation does not always support clear comparison, and the Thailand paragraph contains a confusing sequence: it moves from an incorrect starting figure to a supposed decline, then to a forecast. Some references, such as “this number,” are also unclear when several figures have just been mentioned. Grouping countries by contrasting trends and using more precise references would create stronger progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “urbanization,” “gradual increase,” “forecasted,” and “residing in cities.” These choices show an attempt to vary the language rather than repeat the task wording. However, some expressions are inaccurate or unnatural for this chart: “ratio of the people” is less suitable than “proportion of the population,” and “the highest number of people” is misleading when the graph reports percentages. “Moving to metropolises” also suggests migration rather than a change in the urban share. Use precise terms for proportions and trends, and avoid decorative synonyms that alter the meaning. The phrase “more increase more than two-folds” is also an awkward word choice that obscures the intended comparison.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “but,” “where,” and “that,” and most sentences remain understandable. Some grammatical errors are present, however. For example, “This number more increase more than two-folds” has an incorrect verb construction, while “Indonesia and Malaysia saw the highest increase on the number” uses an unsuitable preposition within the pattern. The sentence beginning “Thailand had the highest number…” also runs together several ideas, making its structure difficult to follow. There are occasional issues with articles and phrasing, such as “in the city” when referring generally to urban areas. Review verb forms and sentence boundaries, and keep each comparison in a clearly structured sentence.

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