Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-20

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 to a specific Caribbean Island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the total number of tourists increased significantly throughout the period. This is because of the rise in tourists who stayed on cruise ships and those who stayed on the island.

Starting at around 0.25 million in 2010, the number of visitors who stayed on the island was the smallest category. This number remained unchanged until 2012, with a slight rise to 0.5 million in 2011, before showing a steady and significant increase for the rest of the period, reaching two million in 2017.

At under one million in 2010, the number of tourists staying on cruise ships then increased to 1.5 million in 2013, where it remained at that level for the rest of the period.

The total number of tourists in 2010 (1 million) rose remarkably to approximately 2.7 million in 2015. It remained unchanged in 2016 and then witnessed another big rise to 3.5 million in 2017, reaching its peak.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task well. You have successfully identified the main trends and provided data to support your descriptions. The overview clearly highlights the general upward trend for both categories. However, there is a slight inconsistency in your data reporting: you mention the number of visitors staying on the island remained unchanged until 2012, but then state there was a rise in 2011. This contradiction slightly impacts the clarity of the report. To improve, ensure that your specific data points align perfectly with the graph provided to maintain accuracy.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that group information by category. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Starting at', 'before showing', and 'At under one million'. However, the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, the final paragraph is a bit disjointed from the previous ones; integrating the total figures more naturally into the comparative analysis would improve the overall flow and cohesion of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information clearly. Phrases like 'increased significantly', 'remained unchanged', and 'witnessed another big rise' are appropriate for a task of this nature. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, particularly the use of 'number of' and 'increased'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms and precise collocations to describe trends, such as 'surged', 'plateaued', or 'fluctuated'. The current range is adequate for the task but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which ensures that the reader can follow the information without difficulty. There are no major grammatical errors that impede communication. To improve, you could experiment with more complex sentence structures, such as using participle clauses or more varied subordinating conjunctions to link your ideas more fluidly. Overall, your control of grammar is solid and consistent throughout the text.

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

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