Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-12

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 percentages of the population in four asian coutries including Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia living in cities between 1970 and 2020.

Overall, the total population followed an upward trend throughout the period. Malaysia dominated across all four coutries, while Indonesia experienced a dramatical growth.

Malaysia had the largest proportion all over the year. It started at aroud 30% in 1970 and peaked at about 80% of total population in 2040. In additon, Philipplines experienced a little falctuations. It began from approximately 30% in 1970 and grew moderately about 45% by 2040.

Thailand, starting at less than 20% in 1970 then it rose gradually to about 40% in 2040, while Indonesia roughly started from 12%, which was the lowest proportion across all four cities but then it experienced a substantial growth. It surged Philippines and Thailand and reached its peak approximately 55% of total population by 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main upward movement and highlight Malaysia’s high urban share and Indonesia’s strong growth, which are relevant features. However, some comparisons and figures are inaccurate or unclear: Malaysia did not lead in every year, as the Philippines was higher in 1990, and Indonesia overtook the Philippines by 2010. The Philippines is described as reaching about 45% in 2040, although the chart shows roughly 56%; Indonesia’s final figure is also given as about 55%, rather than around 64%. The overview would be more informative if it noted these changing rankings and the projected high for Malaysia. Your coverage is relevant, but some key details are less fully and accurately reported than others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction and overview to details about the countries, and linking phrases such as “Overall,” “In addition,” and “while” help signal relationships. The country-by-country grouping is generally easy to follow. However, some connections are unclear or mechanically joined. For example, “Thailand, starting at less than 20% in 1970 then it rose…” lacks a clear grammatical link, and “It surged Philippines and Thailand” makes the comparison difficult to understand. The overview also says Malaysia dominated throughout, which conflicts with the later account of the Philippines and weakens progression. Make each comparison explicit and use clear sentence boundaries and references to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related language, including “upward trend,” “proportion,” “gradually,” and “substantial growth.” These choices help describe changes and comparisons. However, spelling errors such as “coutries,” “aroud,” “additon,” and “Philipplines” are noticeable, and some word combinations are inaccurate or unnatural. “Dramatical growth” is not the appropriate form, while “peaked” is unsuitable for a value that continues to rise to the end of the period. “It surged Philippines and Thailand” also does not express the intended comparison clearly. Aim for accurate collocations and precise trend verbs, and proofread country names and common words carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “while” and an opening participial phrase in “Thailand, starting at less than 20%…”. The main message is usually understandable, but some sentence structures are incomplete or faulty. The Thailand sentence has no clear main clause after “starting,” and “It surged Philippines and Thailand and reached…” lacks a grammatical structure that explains what Indonesia surpassed. There are also issues with articles and prepositions, as in “grew moderately about 45%” and “started from 12%.” Use complete clauses and check that each verb has a clear subject and that comparisons are formed correctly. Greater control of these structures would make the range more effective.

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