Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-12

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 line graph illustrates the number of travellers who stayed on either cruise ships or on island and the total number while visiting a Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the total number of visitors increased over the period. A siginficant number of visitors stayed on the island for most of the period, while cruise ships experineced a considerable rise to become to the preferred choice by the end..

In 2010, the total number of individuals stood at 1 million, with around 0.75 million stayed on island and 0.25 on cruise ships. By 2014, the total visitors had risen steadily to 2 million by 2013. However, the travellers who lived on the island remained stable until 2011 before rising gradually to 1.5 million until 2013, wheras the figure on cruise ships peaked to 0.5 million in 2011 before dropping to 0.25 in 2012, after which it rose to 0.5 million in 2013.

From 2013 onwards, the total figure climbed to 3.5 million by 2017. The number staying on island fell slightly to around 1.25 million before recovering again. Conversely, the figure on ships went up markedly and surpassed the numbers on island to reach 2 million by 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all main parts of the task by reporting the key features and making relevant comparisons between the two categories of tourists and the total figure over the specified years. The overview clearly highlights the overall upward trend and the shift in visitor preferences by the end of the period. Key data points are selected and reported appropriately, such as the total starting at 1 million in 2010 and reaching 3.5 million in 2017. Although there are minor confusions in specific data reporting, such as conflicting years ('rising steadily to 2 million by 2013' vs timeline details), the main trends are adequately addressed. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors, as all parts of the task are addressed, though some details could be clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs detailing specific timeframes. Information is generally ordered chronologically, which aids progression. However, cohesive devices and referencing are sometimes mechanical or confusing, such as the abrupt transitions between years and categories in the body paragraphs. For instance, sentences like 'wheras the figure on cruise ships peaked' link clauses, but the internal referencing and transitional phrases occasionally strain the logical flow. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, but the management of cohesive devices keeps the score at a solid Band 6 level.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying numerical data and trends using terms such as 'illustrates', 'considerable rise', 'remained stable', and 'surpassed'. There are, however, a few noticeable spelling errors ('siginficant', 'experineced', 'wheras') and minor word-choice inaccuracies, such as 'stayed on island' missing an article and 'to become to the preferred choice'. Despite these errors, communication is not impeded, and the student makes a reasonable attempt to use less common vocabulary. This performance fits the Band 6 descriptor, where an adequate range of vocabulary is displayed alongside some spelling and word-choice errors that do not hinder understanding.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'The line graph illustrates the number of travellers who stayed on either cruise ships or on island...'). There are several grammatical errors present throughout the text, including article omissions ('stayed on island') and tense or preposition slips ('lived on the island' instead of stayed, 'peak to' instead of peaked at). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the meaning remains clear. The variety of structures combined with frequent minor errors accurately reflects the Band 6 descriptor.

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