Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The line graph shows the number of first time visitors and returning visitors who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The line graph shows the number of first time visitors and returning visitors who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The graph illustrates how many people were First-time and Returning visitors who visited Caryl Island between 2000 and 2008.

Overall, one can see the number of Returning visitors is greater than First-time visitors. From 2000 to 2002 though, it is seen as the opposite.

Talking about the First-time visitors, it decreased half the number from 2000 to 2002, coming to 4000 visitors which was also the lowest number of visitors in the timeline. Afterwards, the number started to gradually increase throughout the years, coming to an estimate of 12000 in 2008.

Moving on to Returning visitors, the number steadily increased from 2000 to 2002, unlike First-time visitors, coming to 10000 people. The number of visitors increased till 2006, an estimate of 15000 but then decreased to 13000 by 2008. In contrast the number of First-time visitors only decreased in the starting. The minimum number of Returning visitors was 3000 in 2000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for both visitor types and the key intersection point. You successfully identified the overall trend and provided specific data points to support your descriptions. However, the analysis could be improved by making more direct comparisons between the two categories throughout the body paragraphs rather than just in the overview. For example, when discussing the decline in first-time visitors, you could explicitly contrast this with the concurrent rise in returning visitors to better highlight the relationship between the two data sets. Overall, the task is addressed well, and the key features are clearly presented.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and separate body paragraphs for each visitor category. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Afterwards', 'Moving on to', and 'In contrast' helps guide the reader through the information. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the sentence 'In contrast the number of First-time visitors only decreased in the starting' feels somewhat disconnected from the preceding discussion of returning visitors. Improving the variety of linking phrases and ensuring that each paragraph maintains a consistent focus will help elevate the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used an adequate range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'gradually increase', 'steadily increased', and 'estimate of'. This is sufficient for the task. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. For example, instead of saying 'the number of visitors increased', you could use 'the figures experienced an upward trend' or 'witnessed a surge'. Additionally, ensure that your word choices are always accurate; for instance, 'in the starting' is not a natural collocation and should be replaced with 'initially' or 'at the beginning of the period'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies. For example, 'it is seen as the opposite' is slightly awkward; a more natural phrasing would be 'the trend was reversed'. Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'decreased half the number' (should be 'decreased by half'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining your use of complex sentence structures will improve your accuracy.

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

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