Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-11
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 7.5)
The line graph illustrates the number of tourists who visited a Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.
Overall, the total number of visitors experienced significant growth over the seven-year period. While the number of tourists choosing to stay on cruise ships saw a dramatic and continuous rise, the figures for those staying on the island plateaued in the final years.
In 2010, the total number of tourists stood at 1 million, with the vast majority (750,000) opting to stay on the island, while only 250,000 stayed on cruise ships. Over the next three years, island-based visitors increased to 1.5 million, before stabilizing at this exact figure until 2017, despite a brief dip in 2016.
Conversely, the popularity of cruise ship accommodation grew steadily from 2010 to 2012, followed by a sharp surge. Cruise ship tourists overtook island guests and reached 2 million by 2017. Driven by this surge, the overall number of visitors climbed consistently, pausing briefly at 2.7 million in 2015 and 2016, before rising sharply to a maximum of 3.5 million at the end of the period.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
You have provided a clear and accurate summary of the main trends in the graph. You successfully identified the key features, such as the growth in cruise ship visitors and the plateauing of island-based tourists. The comparison between the two categories is well-handled, particularly when noting the point at which cruise ship visitors overtook island guests. The overview is concise and effectively captures the overall trajectory of the data. To reach a higher band, ensure that all data points mentioned are precise; for instance, ensure that the figures cited align perfectly with the visual data provided to avoid any minor inaccuracies in reporting.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You have used paragraphing effectively to separate the overview from the detailed body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'Conversely', 'While', and 'Driven by this surge' are used appropriately to link sentences and ideas. The flow of information is smooth, and the reader can easily follow the comparison between the two types of tourists throughout the period. The structure is coherent, and the use of referencing is clear, making the text easy to navigate.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic report. Phrases like 'significant growth', 'dramatic and continuous rise', and 'sharp surge' show a good command of descriptive language. You avoid repetition and use a variety of terms to describe trends. The vocabulary is precise and contributes to the clarity of the report. To improve further, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or nuanced synonyms to describe data fluctuations, which would elevate the lexical range to a more advanced level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
Your writing displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors that do not impede communication. You use complex structures, such as participial phrases ('Driven by this surge...') and subordinate clauses ('While the number of tourists...'), effectively. Punctuation is used correctly throughout the text. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent. This reflects a high level of grammatical competence suitable for this task.
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