Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-27

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 the information about number of tourists (in million) visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Overall, total number of visitors increased, while visitors who stayed on the island fluctuated in given period of time. The ratio of visitors who preferred to stayed on the ship increased in the begging, however declined in the next year. Nevertheless, soared in the next years and gives the most numbers of participants.

Between 2010 and 2012, the total number of visitors increased steadily from 1 million to 1.5, however rose sharply to 2.5 million in 2014. Whereas, stayed stable at approximately 2.75 between 2015 and 2016. Between 2016 and 2017 jumped to 3.5 million. The ratio of visitors who preferred to stayed on the ship increased in first year with 0.5 million people but dropped between 2011 and 2012. However, after experienced decline the ratio significantly increased till 2017 and reached 2 million.

The number of visitors who preferred to stayed on the ship stayed stable in the beginning at approximately 0.75 million, however steadily increased between 2011 and 2013 and reached 1.5 million, stayed stable till 2015. Conversely, experienced declined in 2015 and 2016 with approximately 1.25 million visitors, however again steadily increased till 2017 and reached again at previous three years numbers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the total number of visitors and the two categories (staying on the island vs. on the ship). However, the analysis is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision in data reporting. For instance, phrases like 'gives the most numbers of participants' are vague and do not clearly describe the trends. While the overview is present, it could be more effectively integrated to highlight the key differences between the two categories. The report addresses the task requirements, but the lack of clarity in describing the specific data points prevents it from reaching a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'however' and 'between'. Some sentences are disjointed, making the progression of ideas feel slightly forced. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when discussing the two categories of visitors, which makes it difficult to distinguish which group is being described at certain points. Improved use of linking phrases and better paragraph transitions would enhance the logical flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety expected for higher bands. There is a reliance on basic verbs like 'increased', 'stayed', and 'reached'. Some word choices are awkward, such as 'gives the most numbers of participants' and 'in the begging' (likely a spelling error for 'beginning'). The student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary, but the lack of flexibility and occasional inaccuracies in collocation limit the score. Expanding the range of synonyms for trends would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'preferred to stayed' (should be 'preferred to stay'), 'after experienced decline' (should be 'after experiencing a decline'), and 'reached again at previous three years numbers'. These errors in verb forms and prepositions are consistent throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from being considered error-free or highly controlled.

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

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