Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-30

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 line graph illustrates the number of tourists visiting a Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Overall, the total number of tourists increased significantly over the period. While the visitors staying on cruise ships saw the most dramatic rise, the number of visitors staying on island remained relatively stable.

The total number of visitors grew gradually in the period of seven years as it was 1 million in the year 2010 and rose to 3.5 million in the year 2017.

The number of visitors staying on island went through a rise from 0.7 million to 1.5 million in the period of 2010 to 2013 then remained relatively stable to the year 2017. In contrast, the number of visitors staying on cruise ships increased sharply in the period of seven years. In the beginning of the period, it was 0.2 million and became 2 million in the end of the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all key features of the graph, including the overall trend and specific data points for both categories. You successfully identified the main trends: the total increase, the stability of island-staying visitors after 2013, and the sharp rise in cruise ship visitors. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that all comparisons are fully supported by the data provided. For instance, while you mention the total growth, you could have explicitly linked the sum of the two categories to the total figure to demonstrate a deeper analysis of the relationship between the variables.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is smooth, and you use cohesive devices such as 'While,' 'In contrast,' and 'then' to link information effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the general trend from the specific details. The flow is easy to follow, and the structure supports the reader's understanding of the data. To improve, you could vary your cohesive devices slightly more to avoid repetitive sentence structures, but overall, the organization is clear and effective.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information clearly. Phrases like 'increased significantly,' 'dramatic rise,' and 'remained relatively stable' are accurate and appropriate for a report of this nature. You avoid repetition by using different verbs to describe trends. However, to achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations. For example, instead of 'went through a rise,' you could use 'experienced a steady climb' or 'witnessed an upward trend.' The current vocabulary is functional and precise enough for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is handled well. You demonstrate good control over tense usage, consistently using the past tense to describe the period between 2010 and 2017. There are very few errors, and those that exist do not impede communication. To move into the higher bands, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as relative clauses or participle phrases, to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility while maintaining the high level of accuracy you have already achieved.

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.