Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-28

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 provides information about the number of tourists visiting a Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017 over a period of 7 years, which measured the number of visitors staying on cruise ships and staying on the island and the total number of visitors.

Overall, it can be seen that the number of tourists showed an increasing trend during the time. In 2010, it started at 1 million and increased significantly to 3.5 million of visitors by 2017.

In the beginning, in 2010, visitors staying on cruise ships trends fluctuated between 0.25 to 0.5 million from the year of 2010 to 2012. However, it increased dramatically to 2 million in 2017. On the other hand, the number of visitors staying on the island started at 0.75 million in 2010 and gradually increased to 1.5 million in 2013. It then remained stable at approximately 1.5 million from 2013 to 2015. In 2016, the figure slightly dropped to 1.2 million, before recovering to 1.5 million in 2017.

Comparatively, visitors staying on cruise ships were much more variable compared to those staying on the island, but both contributed to the overall increase in the total number of tourists to the island.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered all categories (cruise ship visitors, island stayers, and total visitors) and made relevant comparisons. The data is accurately reported, and the key features, such as the significant growth in cruise ship tourism and the relative stability of island-staying visitors, are well-highlighted. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are precise; for instance, you mentioned the total started at 1 million in 2010, but the graph shows the total was closer to 1.25 million. Precision in data reporting is essential for a Band 8 or 9.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group information effectively. You use cohesive devices such as 'In the beginning', 'However', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories of visitors. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between the different types of tourism is clearly explained in the final paragraph. The structure is coherent throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'increasing trend', 'fluctuated', 'increased dramatically', and 'remained stable' are used accurately in the context of describing a graph. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate, it lacks the sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations or varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' to show greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and your control of grammar is generally good. Most sentences are error-free, and your meaning is always clear. There are minor slips, such as 'which measured the number of visitors' (which is slightly awkward) and 'visitors staying on cruise ships trends fluctuated' (which should be 'the trend for visitors... fluctuated'). These errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, aim for more complex sentence structures and ensure subject-verb agreement is consistently accurate.

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

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