Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)
The line graph shows the number of tourists, in millions, who visited a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. It also gives information about tourists who stayed on the island and those who stayed on cruise ships.
Overall, the total number of visitors increased significantly during the period. The number of tourists staying on the island rose at first and then remained almost unchanged, whereas the number staying on cruise ships fluctuated before increasing strongly in the final years.
In 2010, a total of 1 million tourists visited the island. Of these, about 0.75 million stayed on the island, while only 0.25 million stayed on cruise ships. The total number of visitors then increased to 1.5 million in 2012 and 2 million in 2013. During the same period, the number staying on the island rose to 1.5 million, while cruise-ship visitors changed between 0.25 and 0.5 million.
From 2014 onwards, the total number continued to increase, reaching 2.5 million in 2014 and approximately 2.75 million in both 2015 and 2016. It then rose sharply to 3.5 million in 2017. The number of tourists staying on the island remained at 1.5 million from 2013 to 2015, before falling slightly to 1.25 million in 2016 and returning to 1.5 million in 2017.
In contrast, the number of tourists staying on cruise ships increased considerably after 2012. It rose from 0.5 million in 2013 to 1 million in 2014, and then reached 1.5 million in 2016. Finally, the figure doubled to 2 million in 2017, becoming higher than the number of tourists staying on the island.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The student provides a clear, comprehensive overview of the graph, successfully reporting the main features and making appropriate comparisons throughout the text. The introduction accurately paraphrases the prompt, and the overview highlights the key trends: overall growth, the plateau in island stays, and the strong surge in cruise ship tourism. Data is cited accurately to support the descriptions, such as mentioning the starting figures of 1 million total tourists in 2010 and the final peak of 3.5 million in 2017. All parts of the task are fully and effectively addressed, satisfying the requirements for Band 8.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear progression from an introduction and overview to detailed body paragraphs. Information is well-sequenced chronologically and categorized by tourist type. Cohesive devices are used appropriately and flexibly to guide the reader through the data, as seen with phrases like 'Overall', 'In 2010', 'During the same period', and 'In contrast'. Paragraphing is logical, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect or time frame of the graph. Referencing is clear and unambiguous throughout the text, matching the Band 8 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The student demonstrates a sufficient and generally flexible range of vocabulary suitable for describing graphical data. Items such as 'fluctuated', 'rose sharply', 'considerably', and 'plateau' or 'remained almost unchanged' are used naturally and effectively. There are occasional slight awkwardnesses in word choice, but these do not impede communication. The vocabulary is varied enough to avoid undue repetition, allowing the writer to convey precise trends and figures clearly, which aligns well with a Band 7 performance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'whereas' and 'while', alongside participial phrases. The majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control over past tense forms and data reporting structures is strong. Punctuation is accurate, and punctuation errors are virtually nonexistent. The combination of varied sentence forms and high grammatical accuracy supports a solid Band 8 score for this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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