Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
number of visitors staying on the island fluctuated slightly before rising, the number of cruise-ship visitors grew much more significantly and became the larger group towards the end of the period.
In 2010, approximately 1 million tourists visited the island, of whom around 0.75 million stayed on the island and 0.25 million stayed on cruise ships. The number of island-based visitors remained relatively stable until 2013, at roughly 1.5 million, before increasing to about 1.75 million in 2017.
By contrast, cruise-ship tourism experienced a much sharper rise. The figure increased gradually from about 0.25 million in 2010 to 0.5 million in 2013, after which it climbed rapidly, reaching around 2 million by 2017. As a result, total tourist numbers rose from approximately 1 million in 2010 to 3.75 million in 2017. Notably, cruise-ship visitors overtook those staying on the island in 2016.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response provides a clear overview and highlights key trends, such as the growth of cruise-ship tourism and the crossover point in 2016. It effectively selects and reports main features. However, the response is 142 words long, failing to meet the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the analysis, leading to a penalty. While the content is accurate and relevant, the failure to meet the length constraint prevents a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction followed by body paragraphs that contrast the two categories of tourism. Cohesive devices such as 'In 2010', 'By contrast', and 'As a result' are used effectively to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is clear. The text flows well, and the relationship between the different data points is easy to follow, which is a strength of this piece.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'fluctuated slightly', 'remained relatively stable', and 'climbed rapidly' demonstrate a good range of descriptive language. There is a clear attempt to use precise terminology related to data reporting. While the range is not exceptionally wide, it is accurate and allows for a clear presentation of the information without any significant errors in word choice or collocation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as the use of relative clauses ('of whom around 0.75 million stayed...') and participial phrases. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the majority of sentences are error-free. The grammar is sufficiently flexible to convey the information clearly and accurately, showing a solid command of the language required for this task.
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