Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-05

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 6.5)

The line chart compares the number of new and returning tourists in Caryl Island in the period of [redacted phone]. The number of people are given in thousands

Overall, the count of first time visitors remained low as compared to the returning ones. But, it is interesting to note that initially, number of new visitors was highest, which declined at first and then rose steadily, afterwards.

From 2000 to 2002, the number of first time visitors started at 8000 in 2000, dropped linearly to reach the count of 4000; in contrast, the returning visitors who had begun at about 3000 people in 2000, increased significantly to land at 10000 in 2002, surpassing the number of first time visitors.

In the period of [redacted phone], the number of first time and returning visitors followed same increasing trend with a gradual increase by 2000 people in the first two years. Subsequently, the number of returning visitors increased rapidly, which eventually cliffed off at 15000 in 2006. Meanwhile, the first time visitors also rose largely to reach a count of just over 10000 in 2006.

In the last two years, the first time visitors climbed to reach it's highest count of around 12000 in 2008. In contrast, the number of returning visitors declined to reach just below 14000 in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response satisfies all parts of the task by covering the overall trends and key data points for both first-time and returning visitors between 2000 and 2008. The student successfully highlights major shifts, such as the cross-over in visitor numbers and the peak figures for each category. An overview is provided right at the beginning, noting the general patterns, which meets the standard for this criterion well. However, some aspects are slightly under-developed or contain minor inaccuracies in data interpretation—for instance, stating that new visitors started at the highest point overall, which misreads the relative starting figures in 2000. To reach a higher level, the response would need more precise handling of the data without minor generalisation slips and slightly deeper integration of comparisons throughout the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The report displays a clear overall arrangement and logical progression, guiding the reader through the data chronologically across well-defined paragraphs. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as using 'in contrast' and 'subsequently' to show transitions between time periods and categories. However, cohesion occasionally feels slightly mechanical, and referencing is not always completely smooth, as seen in the sentence structures connecting clauses in the overview and paragraph three. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and specific time intervals, which contributes positively to the overall clarity of the piece, though tighter transitions would elevate the organizational flow further.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying trends using terms like 'declined', 'rose steadily', 'dropped linearly', and 'increasing trend'. The student attempts some less common lexical items, such as 'surpassing' and 'gradual increase', demonstrating a reasonable command of descriptive language. However, there are some word-choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'cliffed off' instead of 'leveled off' or 'peaked', and minor phrasing issues like 'in Caryl Island' instead of 'on Caryl Island'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect a band six level rather than a higher tier where control over less common vocabulary is more precise and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and introductory prepositional phrases effectively (e.g., 'the returning visitors who had begun at about 3000 people'). There are some errors in grammar and punctuation present throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues in 'The number of people are given' and a punctuation error with a possessive apostrophe in 'reach it's highest count'. Despite these lapses, the sentences remain mostly clear, and the errors rarely impede communication, aligning comfortably with the requirements of this band level. To achieve higher marks, the student needs greater control over complex structures and fewer mechanical slips.

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

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