Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-07
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 line graph presents data on the total number of travelers exploring Caribbean island over a period of 2010 to 2017.
Overall, it is clear that total visitors experienced the most significant growth over the period. Conversely, visitors staying on cruise ships show a downward trend at the beginning of the year. It is also noticeable that tourists staying on the island significantly decreased at the end of the period.
In terms of specific details total sightseers started at 1 million in 2010 before rising sharply to peak at 3.5 million in 2017. Similarly, the figures for travelers staying on cruise ships witnessed a gradual increase, climbing from 0.3 million to exactly 2 million by the end of the time line.
Looking at the remaining data, a different trend can be observed for holidaymakers staying on island which remained relatively stable throughout 2015 but dropped significantly from 1.5 billion to around 1.3 million and before completing the period it fluctuates and demonstrates fluctuating marginally at 1.5 billion.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
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 the data reporting. For instance, you mention that visitors staying on cruise ships show a 'downward trend' at the beginning, which contradicts the graph, and you state that island visitors dropped from '1.5 billion' to '1.3 million', which is a major factual error regarding the scale provided. While you attempt to highlight key features, these inaccuracies hinder the clarity of the summary. To improve, ensure you carefully cross-reference your descriptions with the actual figures on the axes to avoid misrepresenting the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'Conversely', and 'Similarly' to link ideas. However, the progression within the final paragraph is confusing due to the contradictory statements about the data. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow is disrupted by the factual errors mentioned previously. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring that the logical progression of your sentences matches the visual evidence provided in the graph.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significant growth', 'witnessed a gradual increase', and 'fluctuates'. However, there are issues with word choice and units of measurement, such as the incorrect use of 'billion' instead of 'million'. There is also a slight repetition of 'staying on the island' and 'staying on cruise ships'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general meaning, the errors in data units and occasional awkward phrasing limit the precision of your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The line graph presents data...' and '...before rising sharply to peak at 3.5 million'. There are several grammatical errors, including 'exploring Caribbean island' (missing article), 'at the beginning of the year' (inaccurate context), and 'demonstrates fluctuating marginally' (redundant verb usage). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to affect the overall fluency of the text. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct article usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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