Task 1 · line graph · 18 samples

The graph below gives information about the percentage of the population in 4 Asian countries living in cities from 1970 to 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040

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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.

Sample answers

AI-completed learning example

193 words · Illustrative target band

The line graph provides a visual representation of the percentage of urban population in four Asian countries from 1970 to 2040, with projections for 2030 and 2040. Overall, the data illustrates a clear trend of urbanization across all four countries over the years. The percentage of urban population has consistently increased in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Malaysia had the highest figures for …

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AI-completed learning example

207 words · Illustrative target band

The provided graph illustrates the urban population percentages in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia from 1970 to 2040, as well as the projected percentages for 2030 and 2040. Overall, Malaysia is projected to have the highest urban population percentage by 2040, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, in that order. The urban population in Malaysia rose steadily throughout the period, …

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AI-completed learning example

185 words · Illustrative target band

The line graph presents data on the urban population percentages in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia from 1970 to 2020, along with projected figures for 2030 and 2040. Overall, there was a consistent upward trend in urban population percentages for all four countries from 1970 to 2020, and this trend is predicted to continue, although it was not completely steady in every case. Malaysia recorded the…

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