Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-02

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 7.0)

The line chart illustrates the total number of visitors in millions to a Caribbean island and their place of staying from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, it can be clearly inferred that total number of tourists to the island increased considerably over the years. Although most people initially preferred to stay on cruise ships, eventually shifted towards staying on island.

In 2010, almost 1 million people visited a Caribbean island, out of which around 0.7 stayed on cruise ships and rest on the island. By 2013, the number of visitors grew significantly and got doubled of the initial figures. This is followed by the increase in the number till 2015, before remaining constant for up to a year and then eventually climbed again, at 3.5 million.

In terms of types of stay, the figures for staying on cruise ships saw a fluctuating pattern, the figures remained unchanged till 2011, before soaring to 1.5 million in 2013, continued to be first priority of visitors for staying. However, in early 2015s it was surpassed by the figures for tourists preferring staying on island. Till 2013, only under half a million visitors stayed on island but later the figures increased by almost a million in 2016 and then again by a million in the final year, accounting for approximately 2 million visitors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response covers all requirements of the task. You have identified the main trends and provided data comparisons between the two categories (cruise ships and island stays). The overview is clear and highlights the key shift in preference over the period. However, some data points are slightly imprecise, such as stating the total reached 3.5 million, which requires careful checking against the provided graph. The development of ideas is logical, and the comparison between the two categories is well-integrated. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points are cited with absolute precision and that the distinction between the categories is consistently maintained throughout the analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and you have used a range of cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'In terms of', and 'However' to link your points. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the general trend from the specific details. One area for improvement is the use of referencing; for example, 'This is followed by' is a bit vague. Using more precise cohesive markers to connect the specific years and the corresponding data changes would enhance the flow and make the relationship between the sentences more explicit.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'increased considerably', 'soaring', and 'fluctuating pattern'. There is some awareness of collocation, though there are minor inaccuracies, such as 'got doubled of the initial figures' (should be 'doubled the initial figure') and 'in early 2015s' (should be 'in early 2015'). The vocabulary is generally appropriate for an academic report, but to achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms for 'staying' or 'figures' to avoid repetition and demonstrate a more flexible control of lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as missing articles ('staying on island' should be 'staying on the island') and awkward phrasing like 'remained constant for up to a year'. The sentence 'This is followed by the increase in the number till 2015' is slightly clunky. You have good control over basic structures, but to reach a higher band, you should aim for more error-free complex sentences and ensure that articles and prepositions are used consistently and correctly throughout the text.

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

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