Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-25

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 illustrates fluctuations in the number of tourists who visited a particular Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the Caribbean island became very popular with increasing number of tourists every year, and the figures for visitors who preferred to stay on the ship surpassed the people who stayed on island.

The total number of tourists visiting Caribbean island began at 1 million in 2010. The numbers surged consistently until 2017, reaching 3.5 million visitors.

In 2010, the people who preferred to stay on cruise ship stood at under 0.5 million, while the tourists staying on island was over 0.5 million. The former rose sharply, reaching 1 million visitors in 2014, and the latter increased to 1.5 million visitors in 2013 and remained relatively stable at that level. However, the figures for

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you successfully identify the main trends and provide some data points, the response is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence. This prevents a full overview and a proper conclusion. To improve, ensure you complete the analysis of all data categories and provide a comprehensive summary. Because the response is unfinished, it does not fully address all parts of the task, leading to a lower score for task completion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'while', and 'however' to link ideas. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the flow and coherence of the final section. Paragraphing is used, but the development of ideas is cut short. To improve, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that the transition between sentences is smooth. The use of referencing (e.g., 'the former', 'the latter') is a good attempt at cohesion, but it needs to be supported by a complete, well-structured argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuations', 'surged', and 'relatively stable'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'increasing number of tourists' (should be 'an increasing number') and 'stay on island' (should be 'stay on the island'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure articles are used correctly with nouns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('stay on island') and minor phrasing issues ('the figures for visitors who preferred to stay on the ship surpassed the people who stayed on island'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to article usage and ensure subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout your writing.

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

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