Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-21

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 given line graph illustrates the total number of tourists who visited a specific Caribbean island and the number of visitors who chose to stay on cruise ships and on the island from [redacted phone].

As a general overview, it is evident that the Caribbean island experienced a significant increase in its tourism over a period of seven years. While in the initial period the majority of visitors chose to stay on the island, passengers staying on the ship grew much faster by the end of the period.

In 2010, the total number of visitors to the island was one million which significantly jumped to 3.5 million after seven years. Furthermore, more than a half million visitors chose to stay on the island in the initial period. This gradually rose to 1.5 million by the year 2013 and remained plateaued, except for a minor dip in 2016 before rising again to 1.5 million. However, cruise passengers experienced slight fluctuations initially until 2012, after which there was a significant increase reaching up to 2 million by 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the graph, including the overall upward trend and the contrasting growth patterns between island-staying and cruise-ship visitors. You provided a clear overview and supported your points with relevant data from the graph. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a more comprehensive comparison of the two categories throughout the period. For instance, you could explicitly state when the number of cruise passengers overtook those staying on the island, as this is a key comparative feature. Overall, the response is well-focused and covers all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'While', and 'However' to link ideas effectively. The progression of information is easy to follow. To improve, ensure that your paragraphing is balanced; the current structure is fine, but you could refine the transition between the general overview and the specific data points to make the flow even smoother. The use of referencing is generally clear, and the logical sequence of information supports the overall clarity of your report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with precision, using terms like 'significant increase', 'plateaued', and 'minor dip'. These choices are appropriate for an academic report. There is a minor issue with the phrase 'remained plateaued', which is slightly redundant; 'remained stable' or 'plateaued' would be more natural. You show an awareness of style and collocation, which allows for clear communication. To aim for a higher band, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to avoid repetition and demonstrate a more sophisticated lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. Your control over grammar and punctuation is generally good, which ensures that your meaning is always clear. There are a few minor slips, such as 'remained plateaued', but these do not impede communication. To improve, you could experiment with more complex sentence structures, such as using participle clauses or more varied subordinating conjunctions, to demonstrate greater flexibility. Overall, your grammatical accuracy is strong and supports the clarity of your writing.

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.