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 the island, and the total visitors between the years 2010 and 2017.

Initially in 2010, almost 0.25 million visitors preferred to stay on cruise ships. Moreover it fluctuates till 2013 between 0.25 and 0.5, then suddenly it's ratio increased to 1 million of visitors in 2014 and start continuously increasing during next 2 years and reached to 2 million of visitors at the end of 2017.

In contrast, the number of tourists, who decided to stay on island, started from approximately 0.75 million and stay consistent till 2011. Then frequently, the line represents the number of tourists staying on island showed a continuous incline in it and reached to 1.5 million in 2013 and remains almost same till 2017.

On the other hand, the total number of visitors who visited the island in 2010, started from 1 million and increased 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

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 successfully highlight the key features, such as the significant 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 just describing them in isolation. For example, noting that cruise ship visitors eventually overtook island-staying visitors would have provided a more insightful summary. The overview is clear, but the data reporting is occasionally imprecise, such as describing the 2014-2017 period as 'continuously increasing' without noting the specific trajectory clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific categories. The progression of ideas is generally clear. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally repetitive (e.g., 'the number of tourists... the number of tourists'). Improving the variety of linking words and using more sophisticated referencing would help the flow of the text feel more natural and less formulaic.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuates', 'continuous incline', and 'consistent'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, 'it's ratio increased' is incorrect; 'ratio' is not the right term for a count of people. Additionally, phrases like 'reached to 2 million' are slightly unnatural; 'reached 2 million' is preferred. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score. Expanding your repertoire of reporting verbs and nouns would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'it fluctuates till 2013' (tense inconsistency), 'reached to 2 million of visitors' (unnecessary preposition and 'of'), and 'remains almost same' (missing article 'the'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and article placement will help improve the accuracy of your writing significantly.

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

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