Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-14

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 number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean Island for the time period of [redacted phone]. As shown by the graph some visitors stayed on island while some stayed on cruise ships. From the year 2010 to 2011 the number of visitors staying on island stayed the same to approximately 0.75 million but the number of visitors staying on cruise increased to 0.5 million visitors. From [redacted phone] the number of visitors staying on cruise slightly increased to approximately 1.25 million whereas the number of visitors staying on island decreased to almost 0.25 million. In the year 2013 the number of visitors staying on cruise ships increased to 0.5 million and the number of visitors staying on island increased to 1.5 million. For this time period from 2010 to 2013 the total visitors increased from 1 million to / million. From 2013 to 2015 the total number of visitors visiting increased to 2.75 million visitors whereas the number of visitors staying in island stayed the same 1.5 million and the number of visitors on cruise gradually increased to 1.25 million. From 2015 to 2016 approximately 2.75 million visitors were visiting but the number of visitors staying on cruise slightly decreased to 1.25 million but the number of visitors staying on island rose to 1.5 million. From 2016 to 2017 the number of visitors drastically increased to 3.5 million and the number of visitors staying on cruise ships was 2 million whereas the number of visitors staying on island was 1.5 million.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided data points for both categories. However, the report lacks a clear overview paragraph, which is essential for a high band score. You have attempted to describe the data chronologically, but the narrative is somewhat repetitive and lacks a cohesive summary of the overall trends (e.g., the general upward trajectory). Additionally, there are some inaccuracies in data reporting, such as the mention of '/ million' in the middle of the text, which disrupts the clarity of the report. To improve, ensure you group data logically rather than listing every year, and always include a clear summary of the most significant trends in the introduction or immediately following it.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is written as a single block of text, which significantly impacts the coherence. IELTS Academic Task 1 requires clear paragraphing to separate the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. While you use some cohesive devices like 'whereas' and 'from... to...', the flow is somewhat mechanical. The lack of paragraph breaks makes the text feel like a list of data points rather than a structured report. To improve, organize your writing into at least three distinct paragraphs: an introduction/overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on specific trends or comparisons.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite repetitive. You frequently use phrases like 'number of visitors staying on' and 'increased to'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate a wider range of synonyms and descriptive verbs to avoid monotony. For example, instead of repeating 'increased', you could use 'climbed', 'surged', or 'experienced a growth'. You also have some minor phrasing issues, such as 'stayed on island', which should be 'stayed on the island'. Expanding your range of reporting verbs and noun phrases will help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles (e.g., 'stayed on island' instead of 'stayed on the island') and prepositions. There are also some punctuation issues and awkward phrasing, such as 'total visitors increased from 1 million to / million'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic article usage and ensuring that your sentence structures are varied and grammatically sound.

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

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