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)

This line graph comnpares the percentages of people living in four Asian countries between 1970 and 2020, with estimated projections for 2030 and 2040.

Overall urban populations increased in all four countries and are expected to continue growing. Malayia is projected to have the highest proportion by 2040, while Thailand will have the lowest. Indonesia experienced a strong growth, whereas the figure for the Phillipines fluctuated.

In 1970 approximately 30 percent of the population in both Malaysia and Phillipines lived in cities, compared with 18 percent in Thailand and 13 percent in Indonesia.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You provide a relevant introduction, a clear overview of the broad upward trend, and an opening comparison of the 1970 figures. The overview correctly identifies Malaysia as highest by 2040 and notes the Philippines’ fluctuations. However, the response addresses the task only partially: it stops after the initial-year figures and gives no account of the substantial changes from 1980 to 2020 or the projected figures for the other countries. The claim that Thailand will be lowest in 2040 is accurate, but it would be stronger with supporting data. The response is also 57 words below the required minimum, leaving too little space to select and report the main features. Cover the middle years and projections, using a few key comparisons rather than listing every value.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear basic structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph beginning to report specific data. The progression from the general picture to the 1970 comparison is logical, and linking phrases such as “Overall” and “whereas” help signal relationships between ideas. At this level, the organisation is coherent, but the very short response prevents a complete progression through the graph. The final paragraph introduces the starting figures without moving on to later years or grouping the countries by their trends. Develop the body with a clear sequence—for example, compare the countries’ historical changes first, then describe the forecasts—and use references such as “this proportion” where appropriate to connect sentences smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of task-related vocabulary, including “percentages,” “estimated projections,” “proportion,” “fluctuated,” and “strong growth.” These choices communicate the main trends and show some flexibility beyond basic wording. However, spelling slips in “comnpares,” “Malayia,” and “Phillipines” reduce accuracy, and “experienced a strong growth” is an awkward collocation. The limited amount of reporting also means there is little evidence of a broader range for describing rises, falls, and comparisons. Check spellings carefully and choose natural combinations such as “experienced strong growth” or “rose sharply.” To extend your range, use precise trend language such as “climbed steadily,” “levelled off,” and “overtook” when the data supports it.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

Your sentences show good control of several useful structures. The opening sentence uses a relative clause effectively (“with estimated projections for 2030 and 2040”), and the overview combines contrasting information with “while” and “whereas.” The past-tense reporting in “experienced” and “fluctuated” is appropriate, while “are expected to continue growing” clearly expresses a forecast. Most of the grammar is accurate and the meaning is easy to follow. To strengthen the response further, include a wider variety of sentence patterns as you describe changes across several periods, while maintaining consistent tense choices between historical data and predictions. The main issues visible here are spelling and collocation rather than sentence-level grammar.

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