Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-20

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 6.5)

The line chart shows the actual percentage of the urban population across four distinct Asian countries from 1970 to 2020 and the predictive percentage between 2030 and 2040.

On the whole, it is evident that despite of some fluctations, all these four countries experienced an upward trend which would continue to increase in the future years. Additionally, Malaysia is consistently recording the highest average proportion of population, whereas Thailand is accounted for the least average population.

Regarding the actual citizens of the four countries, all the residents were under 35% in the first year, 1970. Exactly 30% inhabitants were in Malaysia which continued to rise in the coming years. There was around 32% urban people in Philippines before experiencing a gradual drop from 1990 to 2010 which is still continued to recover showing roughly 40% people in 2020. Thailand and Indonesia consistently experienced annual increase in their city-wide residents, which were initially 18% in Thailand and approximately 15% in Indonesia.

In contrast, when looking at the predictive demographics, it clearly seems that the citizens of all the countries would just grow with the passage of time. Malaysia would particularly be the country getting the most population, more than even 80% and Thailand would be with the least population of around 45%.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You identify the overall rise across all four countries and note Malaysia’s high position, while the body includes relevant starting figures and some changes over time. This covers the main task, but several comparisons are incomplete or imprecise. For example, Thailand is not the lowest throughout: Indonesia starts lower, and Thailand is the lowest only in the later years. The claim that Malaysia has the “highest average” is less useful than comparing its clear lead by 2000 and its projected peak of about 84% in 2040. The Philippines’ 2020 figure is closer to 46%, not roughly 40%, and Indonesia’s strong rise to about 52% by 2020 is not reported. More precise comparisons and fuller coverage of these key features would strengthen the overview and support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into a clear introduction, overview, historical details and forecast, so the reader can follow its general progression. Linking phrases such as “On the whole,” “Regarding,” and “In contrast” help signal the stages of the report. The main limitation is that some connections and references are not fully clear: “which is still continued to recover” has an uncertain subject, and the final paragraph gives broad predictions without comparing the countries’ trajectories or endpoints in a connected way. The overview also repeats the general upward trend rather than previewing the most important contrasts. Grouping the data by notable patterns—for example, Malaysia’s sustained lead versus Indonesia’s rapid growth—would make the progression more purposeful and cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing trends, including “upward trend,” “gradual drop,” “predictive demographics,” and “passage of time.” These choices make the general meaning clear, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural for this chart, such as “highest average proportion,” “least average population,” “city-wide residents,” and “getting the most population.” “Fluctations” is also misspelled, and “actual citizens” does not precisely describe the percentage living in cities. Aim for standard, precise collocations used in data reporting, such as “highest proportion of the population,” “lowest figure,” and “urban population.” This would improve accuracy and naturalness while retaining your range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a concessive overview clause and sentences with “whereas” and “before.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors reduce precision. Examples include “despite of some fluctuations” (use “despite some fluctuations”), “Thailand is accounted for the least” (the construction is not grammatical), and “which is still continued to recover” (the verb form is incorrect). In “There was around 32% urban people,” the existential structure does not fit the plural noun phrase; a construction such as “Around 32% of the population lived in cities” is clearer. Check tense and clause structure, especially when describing past trends and forecasts, while continuing to use varied sentence patterns.

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