Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-21

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 graph illustrates information about the percentile of the population living in cities between 1970 and 2020 in Asian countries ( Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) including their predictions for 2030 and 2040.

As can be seen from the graph, the people living in the uban cities of the Philippines was the highest in 2020. In contrast, Thailand had the lowest percentage of its population living in cities in 2020. The Philippines is predicted to have the highest percentage of urbanization in 2040.

In 1970, the Indonesia had the least percentage of its population living in urban areas that was around 12% but there was a constant increase throughout the years as it reached around 13%, 22%, 29%, 41%, 50% in 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020 respectively. It is also forcasted that the percentile will keep on increasing in 2030 and 2040 (60% and 61% respectively).

On the other hand, the Malaysia which accounted for 30% of urbanization in 1970 saw a decline in 1990 as the percentage reached to 45% but after that the percentile kept on increasing as it reached to 70% in 2020. Additionally, it is also forcasted to have around 80% and 84% in 2030 and 2040. The Philippines accounted for 31% of its population living in cities and towns in 1970. After that, it saw a incline in 1990 as the percentile reached around 49% which then declined to around 46% in 2000 and 42% in 2010. Futhermore, it is predicted to have 50% and around 54% of its population being urbanized in 2030 and 2040. The thailand had 19% of its people spending their lives in towns in 1970 while it saw a constant increase till 1990 as it reached aroound 29% in 1990 but after that the growth was stable and reached to 30% in 2020. They are predicted to achieve urbanization around 40% in 2030 and around 48% in 2040.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover all four countries and include an overview of the main patterns, especially Malaysia’s strong rise and Thailand’s lower urban share. However, the overview contains a key misreading: the Philippines is not highest in 2020; Malaysia is, at about 76%, compared with roughly 52% for Indonesia and 45.5% for the Philippines. Nor is the Philippines predicted to lead in 2040; Malaysia remains highest at about 84%. Several figures are also inaccurate, including Indonesia’s 1970 and 2020 values and Thailand’s 2020 figure. The account is relevant, but the incorrect comparisons and limited selection of the most important features make the summary only partly effective. Check the ranking at the start and end of the period before drafting your overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, an overview, and country-by-country detail. Time markers such as “In 1970,” “after that,” and “in 2030 and 2040” help readers follow the chronology, and the country groupings make the information easy to locate. However, the body becomes a sequence of long descriptions, with repeated transitions such as “after that” and “Additionally,” rather than grouping countries by comparable trends. Some references are unclear, particularly “They are predicted,” which follows a paragraph about Thailand but could be more explicit. Organise the details into clearer comparisons—for example, Malaysia’s high growth against the Philippines’ fluctuation—and vary linking devices to make progression less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of task-related vocabulary, including “urbanization,” “declined,” “constant increase,” and “predicted,” so the main trends are generally understandable. However, several choices are inaccurate or repetitive: “percentile” is not the right term for a percentage, and “people spending their lives in towns” is an awkward way to describe the share living in cities. There are also spelling errors, including “uban,” “forcasted,” “Futhermore,” and “aroound,” alongside repeated use of “reached” and “percentage.” These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Use standard chart language consistently, such as “proportion,” “urban population,” and “rose to,” and proofread spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “while,” “as,” and “which,” and most of the information remains understandable. Some grammatical errors occur, but they rarely obstruct the message. Examples include the article and noun pattern in “the Indonesia had the least percentage,” the missing article in “the Malaysia,” and the awkward construction “reached to 45%.” There are also agreement and reference issues, such as “They are predicted,” where the subject is not clearly identified. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are mostly controlled, though several sentences carry many figures and clauses. Practise accurate article use and verb patterns, and split long data-heavy sentences to improve control.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.