Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-18
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 visual illustrates the total number of travellers visiting a Caribbean island throughout the period of seven years, from 2010 to 2017.
Overall, the total number of visitors increased substantially during the period and reached the peak in the last year. The number of tourists staying on island was initially popular before decling in the last year. In contrast, staying on cruise ships was unpopular until it was widely followed by tourists during the last years of the period, making it the most preferred option in 2017.
In 2010, the total number of tourists at the island was 1 million which dramatically grew to 2 million in 2013 before further increasing to 3.5 million in 2017.
Regarding the preferrences of the tourists, approximately 0.7 million travellers intended to stay on the island, which significantly rose to 1.5 million in 2013. However, it experienced a slight decline in 2016 before finally being followed by 1.5 million tourists in 2017.
Conversely, in 2010, staying on cruise ships was the least popular option, followed by only 0.3 million visitors. The visitors showed an uneven opinion until it gained popularity in 2014 and was followed by 1 million people. Subsequently, the stay on cruise ships was encouraged and chosen by 1.5 million visitors before it further grew to 2 million in 2017, becoming the most common and widely followed option in 2017.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The student successfully covers all main features of the chart, reporting the overall trends and providing relevant data points for both categories and the total. An overview is clearly presented in the second paragraph, highlighting the upward trajectory of total visitors and the shift in popularity between island stays and cruise ship stays. Data is cited accurately, such as the total growing to 3.5 million in 2017 and cruise ship visits reaching 2 million. While minor wording choices are slightly imprecise (e.g., 'staying on island was initially popular'), the core requirements of Task 1 are fully met with appropriate comparisons made throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organised into clear paragraphs, moving from an introduction to an overview, followed by body paragraphs detailing the total numbers and specific categories. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader through the data, such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', 'In 2010', and 'Conversely'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different elements of the visual data. Although referencing and linking are generally clear and effective, occasional mechanical transitions prevent the response from achieving a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe trends and figures, using words and phrases such as 'substantially', 'dramatically grew', 'experienced a slight decline', and 'most preferred option'. There are some awkward collocations or lexical inaccuracies, such as 'staying on island was initially popular' and 'The visitors showed an uneven opinion', which detract slightly from precision. However, less common lexical items are attempted with adequate control, and meaning is communicated clearly throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
A mix of simple and complex sentence structures is used throughout the response, including multi-clause sentences with dependent time clauses ('while it gained popularity in 2014 and was followed by 1 million people'). Grammatical control is generally good, with frequent error-free sentences (e.g., 'In 2010, the total number of tourists at the island was 1 million which dramatically grew to 2 million in 2013'). Minor errors occur occasionally, such as missing articles ('staying on island') and a slight slip with prepositions, but these errors do not impede communication.
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