Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
The given line graph demonstrates the number of visitors (in millions) visiting the Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, the graph describes the record of three categories of tourists including the visitors staying on cruise ships, the visitors who were staying on island, and the total visitors between the year 2010 and 2017.
Initially in 2010, almost 0.25 million visitors prefer to stay on cruise ships. Moreover it fluctuates till 2013 between 0.25 and 0.5, then suddenly it's ratio increases to 1 million of visitors in 2014 and start continuously increasing during next 2 years and reach to 2 million of visitors at the end of 2017.
In contrast, the number of tourists, who decide to stay on island, start from approximately 0.75 million and stay consistent till 2011. Then frequently, the line represents the number of tourists staying on island shows a continuously incline in it and reach to 1.5 million in 2013 and remains almost same till 2017.
On the other hand, the total number of visitors who visits the island in 2010, start from 1 million and increase to 1.5 million till 2013. However, it increased continuously with the passage of time and reached to 3.5 million at the end.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all parts of the task by identifying the three categories and reporting the main trends. You have successfully highlighted the key features, such as the growth in cruise ship visitors and the plateauing of island-staying tourists. However, the analysis could be improved by making more direct comparisons between the categories rather than describing them in isolation. For instance, noting that cruise ship visitors eventually overtook island-staying visitors would have strengthened the response. The overview is present but could be more concise to better highlight the overall trajectory of the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs for each category. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'the number of tourists... the number of tourists'). Improving the flow between sentences would help the text read more naturally. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the information, including terms like 'fluctuates', 'consistent', and 'incline'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'it's ratio increases' (ratio is not the correct term here) and 'reach to 1.5 million' (the verb 'reach' does not take 'to'). There is also some repetition of basic verbs like 'increase' and 'stay'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and ensure collocations are used correctly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and prepositions. Examples include 'visitors... prefer to stay' (should be past tense 'preferred'), 'start from' (should be 'started at'), and 'remains almost same' (missing article 'the'). Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and pluralization, such as 'reach to 2 million of visitors'. These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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