Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-16

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 6.5)

The line graph illustrates the figures of first-timers of the Caryl Island and the returning guests for a period of 8 years.

Overall, the number of first time guests dropped sharply before rising in 2002, and ended slightly below the final rate of returning visitors in 2008. While the returning guests started as the least, it rose and ended as the highest in 2008.

Started as the highest, the first timers decline considerably by 400 from 2000 to 2002 before jumping dramatically from 2002 and gradually increased to 6000 in 2004 before levelling up and continued to soar ending with 12000 in 2008.

Emerging as the least with approximately 3000 people, the comeback visitors rocketed from 2000, meeting the same number of first time people in 2001. After that, the growth slowed significantly reaching 12000 in 2004 before modestly reaching a peak in 2006 and slumped gradually to close with over 13000 people in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the graph, including the trends for both visitor types and the point of intersection. The overview is clear and highlights the main differences in the trajectories of the two groups. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, stating that first-time visitors 'declined by 400' from 2000 to 2002 is not supported by the visual evidence, and the description of the 'comeback' visitors' peak is slightly imprecise. Despite these minor data interpretation issues, the main trends are identified and the response provides a logical summary of the information provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from general trends to specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'While', 'After that', and 'Emerging as' are used to link sentences and ideas effectively. However, the paragraphing could be improved; the second body paragraph is quite dense, and some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Nevertheless, the overall structure is coherent, and the reader can easily follow the comparison between the two visitor categories throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'soar', 'levelling up', 'rocket', and 'slumped' to describe trends. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'levelling up' (which is informal) and 'first-timers of the Caryl Island' (which is slightly awkward). The term 'comeback visitors' is a bit informal; 'returning visitors' would be more appropriate given the prompt. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the figures of first-timers of the Caryl Island' (article usage) and 'the first timers decline considerably' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'modestly reaching a peak in 2006 and slumped gradually'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The student shows an attempt at complex structures, but control over these is inconsistent.

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

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