User-written IELTS example
Writing Academic Task 1 Band 4.0 Example
Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.
Illustrative target band for this original model answer.
Plan your answer
Try your own response before reading the samples.
Ideas to explore
- Compare the overall upward direction with differences in pace: Malaysia rises steadily, while Indonesia’s growth accelerates after 2000.
- Highlight meaningful exceptions to a simple upward trend, especially the Philippines’ fall after 1990 and Thailand’s extended plateau.
- Use the final-year figures to compare the projected ranking: Malaysia is highest, Indonesia next, the Philippines below it, and Thailand lowest.
Suggested structure
- Paraphrase the graph’s subject, countries, and time span in the introduction.
- Give an overview of the overall direction and the main contrast in projected levels.
- Describe starting values and Malaysia’s steady rise.
- Compare the Philippines’ dip and recovery with Indonesia’s stronger later growth.
- Finish the detailed comparison with Thailand’s plateau and forecast increase.
Useful vocabulary & examples
- urban population share
- the percentage of a population living in cities
Malaysia’s urban population share is projected to exceed 80% by 2040.
- reach a peak
- attain the highest point in a period
The Philippines reached a peak of about 48% in 1990.
- remain broadly stable
- stay at a similar level, with little overall change
Thailand’s figure remained broadly stable near 30% for several years.
- be projected to
- be expected or forecast to happen
Indonesia’s urban share is projected to reach about 64% in 2040.
Task Prompt
User Essay Analysis
Review the public answer with report-style highlights.
The line illustration shows percentage of the population living in cities in four Asian countries (Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) during year 1970 and 2020, with predictions for year 2030 and 2040. Overall all countries increased significantly their population by 2020 and it is clear that the rising pattern will still continue in 2030 and 2040. These figures refer to the share living in cities rather than the size of the total population.
Overall, urban population shares rise over the full period in all four countries, although the Philippines has a temporary decline. Malaysia records the highest figure for most of the period, and the forecasts indicate further increases everywhere.
In 1970, the Philippines and Malaysia were both close to 30%, compared with roughly 18% in Thailand and about 13% in Indonesia. Malaysia then rose steadily, reaching around 60% in 2000 and the mid-70s by 2020. It is projected to exceed 80% by 2040.
The Philippines increased to just under 50% in 1990, before falling to a little over 40% in 2010. Its figure subsequently recovered and is expected to reach approximately 56% in 2040. Indonesia grew more rapidly after 2000, overtaking the Philippines around 2010 and reaching just over 50% in 2020. Its projected endpoint is about 64%.
Thailand shows the slowest growth, remaining near 30% between 1990 and 2000 and reaching the low-30s in 2020. The forecast places it around 50% in 2040, still below the other three countries.
Targeted Improvement Tips
Related examples for this topic
Compare different bands on the same IELTS prompt.
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Band 4.0The graph shows percentage of the population in four Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040. The number of population to Philippi...
