Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-11

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 privided line graph illustrates the proportions of the populations over the peroid of 1970 to 2020 and provides predictions for next two decades(2030 and 2040) in four countries of Asia.

Overall, population size grew significantally in Indonesia. Malaysian population rose sharply and it is anticipated to surpass all other countries.

Looking into more detail, Indonesia started at around 12% in 1970 marking the lowest population size than all other countries but showed constant growth and reached above 40% in the year 2010. It is predicted to reach at 60% by the year 2040. Next to Indonesia is Thailand which started slightly below 20% and rose to 30% in 1990 then showed slight growth for next years and anticipated to reach around 50% by 2040.

Philippines started at above 30%(higher population then all other countries), the population size grew considerably to 50% in 1990 but then dropped to approximately 42% in 2010. It is anticipated to reach at 50% by 2040 lower than Malaysia and Indonesia.

Malaysian population saw a continuous growth, it started below Philippines then rose sharply to 70% in 2010 and anticipated to surpass all other countries in 2040 with a population size above 80%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You provide a relevant overview, identifying Indonesia’s substantial rise and Malaysia’s sharp growth to become the highest, and you compare the countries across the period. Most reported trends are accurate, including the Philippines’ rise to 1990 followed by a decline and Thailand’s slower increase. However, some figures and comparisons are imprecise: Indonesia is about 14% in 1970, not 12%, and its 2040 projection is about 64%, rather than 60%. The Philippines reaches roughly 48% in 1990, not 50%, and Malaysia is already highest by 2010. The overview could also capture the contrast between Malaysia’s strong growth and the Philippines’ fluctuation more clearly. These relevant but unevenly developed details fit the response’s level of task coverage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs describing the countries’ trends. Grouping Indonesia with Thailand and then discussing the Philippines and Malaysia gives the reader a workable progression. Linking phrases such as “Overall,” “Looking into more detail,” and “Next to Indonesia” help signal movement between points. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. “Next to Indonesia is Thailand” could mean either a ranking or a transition, while “the population size” is repeated and does not always make the reference precise. The final Malaysia paragraph partly repeats the overview rather than adding a distinct comparison. Use clearer transitions and connect the countries through direct comparisons to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “grew considerably,” “rose sharply,” “continuous growth,” and “dropped.” These choices communicate the main movements and show some variation beyond basic verbs. However, several word choices and collocations are imprecise: “population size” is not the same as the percentage living in cities, and “reach at 60%” is not a natural expression. There are also spelling errors, including “privided,” “peroid,” and “significantally,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise terms such as “urban population share” and “the proportion living in cities,” and check spelling carefully. This would make the description more natural and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “but” and “which,” and most of the meaning remains clear. The overview and trend descriptions are generally understandable. Some grammatical errors persist, however. For example, “It is predicted to reach at 60%” has an incorrect verb pattern; write “reach 60%.” In “started at around 12% in 1970 marking,” punctuation is needed before the participle phrase, and “higher population then all other countries” needs a clearer comparative construction, such as “a higher proportion than in the other countries.” There are also inconsistent article and preposition patterns. Review these structures and use punctuation to separate longer clauses more reliably.

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