Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-24

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.

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 line graph illustrates the total number of returning and first time tourists over a period of eight years from 2000 to 2008 who traveled Caryl Island.

Overall, returning visitors observe an upward trajectory before having a decline trend in last years whereas first time visitors show a downward trend in first few years but eventually exponential growth occurs.

In 2000, returning visitors starts off at 3000 which observes a surge reaching 10000 in just two years. The highest peak is depicted in the year 2006 at 15000 returning tourists but afterwards the number plummeted reaching the total count of 13500 visitors.

The blue line for first time tourist in Caryl island observes a sharp decline reaching 4000 in 2002 while it started at 8000 in 2000. After 2002, first time visitors show a consistent upward trend reaching 6000 in 2004. Furthermore, it reaches the highest number of all time at 11900 of first time tourists in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers the main features of the graph well. You have successfully identified the key trends for both visitor categories and provided relevant data points to support your descriptions. The overview is clear and highlights the contrasting trajectories of the two groups. To reach a higher band, ensure that you make more direct comparisons between the two categories rather than describing them in isolation. For instance, noting that the number of returning visitors significantly overtook first-time visitors by 2002 would strengthen the analytical quality of your report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is clear, and you use some cohesive devices such as 'whereas', 'afterwards', and 'furthermore' to link your points. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the relationship between sentences is always explicit. The paragraphing is appropriate and helps the reader follow the development of the data analysis effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'upward trajectory', 'plummeted', and 'exponential growth' appropriately. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'observe an upward trajectory' (trends are usually 'shown' or 'exhibited') and 'decline trend' (should be 'downward trend'). While these errors do not impede communication, refining your collocations will help you achieve a more natural and sophisticated tone. Expanding your repertoire of reporting verbs would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally effective. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('returning visitors starts off') and prepositional errors ('traveled Caryl Island' should be 'traveled to Caryl Island'). Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and tense consistency. While these errors rarely impede the overall meaning, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and prepositional accuracy will significantly improve your score.

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

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