Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below shows the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

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

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The graph illustrates the value of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the total number of visitors increased throughout the period. Though the figure for visitors who stayed on cruise ships fluctuated for a while before soaring, the number of tourists who stayed on island rose over the same period.

Regarding staying on cruise ships, around 0.25 millions of visitors lived in 2010, which was identical to the number for 2012. This number sharply increased to 0.5 millions in both 2011 and 2013. After that, the value gradually rose to almost 2 millions of visitors in 2017. In addition, in 2010 about 1.5 millions of tourists were on island and this number remained unchanged until 2011. Then, the figure rose to around 1.25 millions in 2016, which sharply grew to 1.5 millions of tourists in 2017.

In 2010, the total number of visitors was approximately 1 millions. This figure markedly soared to roughly 2.75 millions of tourists in 2015, which remained stable until 2016. Then, the number of visitors significantly increased to around 3.5 millions of visitors in the final year.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the overall trends and specific data points. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For example, you state that in 2010, the number of cruise ship visitors was 0.25 million, but the graph indicates a different value. Furthermore, the description of the 'island' visitors is confusing and contradicts the visual data, particularly the claim that the figure remained unchanged until 2011 and then dropped to 1.25 million. The summary of the total visitors also contains inconsistencies. To improve, ensure that you carefully cross-reference your written figures with the graph to avoid factual errors, which are critical in Task 1.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Regarding', 'In addition', and 'Then' helps to guide the reader through the data. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by the factual inaccuracies mentioned in the task achievement section. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of visitors. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring that the transition between sentences flows more naturally and that the logical connection between the data points is clearer.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuated', 'soaring', 'markedly', and 'significantly'. However, there are persistent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the value of tourists' (should be 'the number of tourists') and 'lived in 2010' (which is contextually incorrect). Additionally, the repeated use of 'millions of' is grammatically incorrect when preceded by a number (e.g., '0.25 millions' should be '0.25 million'). Refining these collocations and ensuring correct pluralization will help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding number agreement and preposition usage. For instance, '0.25 millions of visitors' is incorrect, as is '1.5 millions of tourists'. There are also issues with tense consistency and article usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of quantifiers would significantly enhance the accuracy of your writing.

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