Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-04

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, it is evident that total visitors accounted for the highest figure, while people staying on island represented a slight fluctuation throughout the period, whereas those who staying on cruise ships showed a moderate increase during the period.

Regarding the number of tourists, the total number of people stood at 1 million in 2010, which climbed sharply to around 2.5 million in 2015, remained the same till 2016, and rose to 3.5 million by 2017. Meanwhile, tourists on the island registered nearly 0.8 million in 2010 and remained unchanged till 2011. From then on, it rose to 1.5 million in 2013, remained relatively same till 2015, and before marginally declining to approximately 1 million in 2016, it grew back to 1.5 million by 2017.

Turning to the other category, individuals staying on cruise ships were nearly 0.3 million in 2010, followed by 0.5 million in 2011, slightly dropped to 0.3 million in 2012, it recovered dramatically from 2013, peaking at around 2 million by 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response covers all requirements of the task. You have successfully identified the main trends and provided data to support your descriptions. The overview is clear and highlights the key differences between the categories. However, the overview could be more precise; for instance, stating that 'total visitors accounted for the highest figure' is a bit redundant as it is the sum of the other two. A more analytical approach would be to mention the overall growth trend for all categories. The data points are generally accurate, and the comparison between the groups is well-handled throughout the report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Regarding the number of tourists,' 'Meanwhile,' and 'Turning to the other category' to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different categories. While the flow is generally good, some transitions are slightly mechanical. To reach a higher band, ensure that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother, particularly when linking the fluctuations in the island-staying category to the specific years mentioned.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuation,' 'marginally declining,' and 'recovered dramatically.' There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'staying on island' (should be 'staying on the island') and 'remained relatively same' (should be 'remained relatively the same'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of reporting verbs and adverbs would enhance the quality of your analysis.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

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. For example, 'those who staying on cruise ships' should be 'those who were staying' or 'those staying.' Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors, such as 'before marginally declining... it grew back,' which creates a slightly awkward sentence structure. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a greater focus on verb forms and sentence construction.

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

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