Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-16
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 tourists visiting a Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. Units are measured in millions.
Overall, the visitors staying on cruise ships rose despite the fluctuations. While visitors staying on the island also rose despite the fluctuations and remained same as before.
0.3 million visitors stayed on cruise ships in the year 2010 which was the lowest at that time. Likewise, 0.7 million visitors stayed on the island in the same year. When the number of visitors staying on cruise ships was at their lowest it rose to 1 million visitors despite the fluctuations in the year 2014 and it gradually increased to 2 million visitors by the year 2017, which was the highest.
On the other hand, the number of visitors staying on the island rose to 1.5 million visitors in the year 2013 and stayed same in the following years 2014 and 2015. However there was a decrease in visitors in the year 2016 but it again rose to 1.5 million visitors by the year 2017. Lastly, the total number of visitors staying on both cruise ships and the island rose from 1 million visitors to 3.5 million visitors by the year 2017.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student covers all parts of the task by reporting the main trends and making relevant comparisons across the given time frame. An overview is provided, noting the upward trends for both categories despite fluctuations. However, the overview is somewhat simplistic and contains minor inaccuracies regarding the phrase 'remained same as before'. Data points are generally accurate, such as mentioning the total rising from 1 million to 3.5 million visitors by 2017, and specific figures like 0.3 million and 0.7 million for 2010 are well integrated. To reach a higher band, the overview could be more comprehensive, capturing the contrasting trajectories more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized with a clear division into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and body paragraphs dedicated to specific data categories. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'On the other hand', and 'Lastly' are used to structure the text effectively. Paragraphing is appropriate, and referencing is mostly clear. However, some transitions are slightly repetitive, and logical flow is occasionally hindered by phrasing such as 'When the number of visitors staying on cruise ships was at their lowest it rose...'. Overall, the arrangement is coherent and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing terms like 'fluctuations', 'gradually increased', and 'decrease'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, though some phrasing feels awkward or unnatural, such as 'remained same as before' instead of 'remained stable'. Word choice is generally appropriate, and minor spelling or lexical errors do not impede communication. To improve, the student should incorporate more precise collocation and a wider variety of synonyms to describe trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and time markers effectively. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, such as 'When the number of visitors staying on cruise ships was at their lowest it rose...', which lacks necessary punctuation and precision. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but occasional missing articles or incorrect prepositions appear. The errors do not impede communication, placing the writing comfortably at Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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