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 number of tourists (in millions) visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, the total number of visitors increased but stayed stable between 2015 and 2016. The number of visitors who stayed on the cruise ships rose steadily despite a decline between 2010 and 2011 also reached the its highest figure in the total numbers, while the number of visitors who stayed on the island fluctuated but stayed stable between 2013 and 2015.
Between 2010 and 2015, the total number of visitors rose steadily from 1 million to approximately 2.75, it remained stable until 2015 but sharply increased until 2017 and reached highest figure of 3.5 million.
Between 2010 and 2011, the number of visitors who stayed on the cruise ships increased and reached 0.5 million, meanwhile, the number of visitors who stayed on the island remained stable. Conversely, the cruise ships ratio steadily decreased until 2012, after experiencing a decline rose steadily and reached 2 million in 2017. The ratio of island visitors sharply rose and reached 1.5 million in 2013 and remained stable until 2015, however, experienced a decline in 2016 with 1.25 million but again remained at 1.5 million in 2017.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all requirements of the task by identifying the main trends and making relevant comparisons between cruise ship and island visitors. The overview is clear, highlighting the general upward trend and the specific behavior of the two categories. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting; for instance, the description of the total number of visitors between 2010 and 2015 contains contradictory statements regarding stability. Additionally, some figures are slightly imprecise. While the main features are highlighted, the analysis could be more consistently accurate to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs focusing on different aspects of the data. Cohesive devices such as 'conversely', 'meanwhile', and 'however' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and some mechanical use of transitions. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the final paragraph where the distinction between the two visitor types becomes slightly muddled. Overall, the progression is logical, but the cohesion is not always smooth or sophisticated.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'fluctuated', 'steadily', and 'sharply' used appropriately to describe trends. There are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'cruise ships ratio' instead of 'number of cruise ship visitors'. While the student attempts to use a variety of terms, there are occasional errors in collocation and word form (e.g., 'reached the its highest figure'). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, but it lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as comma splices (e.g., '...to 2.75, it remained stable...') and issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. Some sentences are overly long and convoluted, which affects readability. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to punctuation and sentence boundaries would improve the overall accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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