Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-12
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 6.5)
The line graph illustrates the number of visitors visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, visitors who stayed on island, showed a large number in 2010 as compared to tourists who stayed on cruise ships, but finally latter surpassed the former by 2017.
In 2010, visitors who stayed on island, were 0.75 millions and stayed stable until 2011 before rising to 1.25 million in 2012 and culminating at 1.5 million in 2013. From 2013 to 2015, figure remained constant at 1.5 million before declining to 1.25 million in 2016 and stepping up to 1.5 million again in 2017.
On the other hand, tourists who stayed on cruise ships, started at 0.25 million in 2010 before expanding to 0.5 million in 2011 and felling to 0.25 million in 2012. The number picked up to 0.5 million in 2013, 1 million in 2014, 1.25 million in 2015, 1.5 million in 2016 and ultimately settling at 2 million in 2017.
Regarding total visitors, they were 1 million in 2010 before increasing to 1.25 million in 2011, 1.5 million in 2012, 2 million in 2013, 2.5 million in 2014, 2.75 million in both 2015 and 2016, before rocketing to 3.5 million in 2017.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response covers all parts of the task well. You have successfully identified the main features and trends for both categories of tourists and the total figures. The overview is clear, highlighting the key shift where cruise ship visitors eventually overtake those staying on the island. The data is accurately reported, and comparisons are made effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that the 'total' figures are integrated more naturally into the analysis of the two main groups rather than being presented as a separate, isolated paragraph, as this would demonstrate a more sophisticated synthesis of the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the data, which helps the reader follow the progression. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'before rising to', and 'ultimately' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, the phrase 'latter surpassed the former' is a good attempt at cohesion, but the overall flow between the final paragraph and the preceding ones could be more integrated to improve the logical progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. You successfully use terms like 'culminating', 'constant', 'expanding', and 'rocketing' to describe trends. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'visitors who stayed on island' (missing an article) and 'felling' (incorrect form of 'fall'). While these do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching the highest bands. Focusing on more precise collocations and ensuring correct word forms will help improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, but there are several recurring errors that affect the accuracy. For instance, there are missing articles ('stayed on island' should be 'stayed on the island') and incorrect verb forms ('felling' instead of 'falling', 'stepping up' is slightly informal). Additionally, there are some punctuation issues, such as unnecessary commas after subjects (e.g., 'visitors who stayed on island, were...'). Increasing the variety of complex structures while reducing these minor errors will significantly improve your grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.