Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-22
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 Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. The figure are given in millions and show visitors staying on island, visitors staying on cruise ships, and the total number of tourists.
Overall, the total number of tourists increased considerably during the period. Visitors staying on the island were more numerous at the beginning. While the visitors staying on the cruise ships become more popular towards the end.
In 2010, about one million tourists visited the island. Of these, approximately 0.7 million visitors stayed on island, compared with only 0.3 million who stayed on cruise ships. The total figure rose gradually to 1.5 million in 2012 and 2.5 million in 2014.
From 2014 to 2016, the number of tourists staying on the island remained at about 1.4 million, before fallen slightly to 1.1 million in 2016. In contrast, cruise ship visitors increased from 0.9 million in 2014 to 1.4 million in 2016. Finally, in 2017, the total number of visitors reached approximately 3.4 million, with cruise ship tourists accounting for about 1.9 million.
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 addresses the main features of the graph well, providing a clear overview and supporting details with relevant data points. The general trends, such as the overall rise in tourist numbers and the shifting popularity between cruise ship visitors and those staying on the island, are correctly identified. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in specific figures compared to the chart, such as stating the island stay figures dropped to 1.1 million in 2016 when the chart shows around 1.25 million, and slight discrepancies in the 2010 figures. Despite these minor data reading errors, all parts of the task are appropriately covered and supported.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an introductory paragraph, followed by an overview paragraph, and then breaks down the body data chronologically. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction/overview from the detailed body analysis. Cohesive devices are employed adequately (e.g., 'In contrast', 'Finally'), although referencing and transitions between sentences could sometimes be smoother. Overall, the structure allows the reader to follow the information easily without significant confusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'account for', 'considerably', and 'gradually'. However, there are notable word choice and phrasing issues, such as 'The figure are given' (grammatical slip affecting vocabulary context), 'visitors staying on island' (missing article), and awkward phrasing like 'while the visitors staying on the cruise ships become more popular towards the end'. Spelling is generally accurate, but lexical precision is occasionally lacking.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms with subordinate clauses (e.g., 'While the visitors staying on the cruise ships become...', 'Of these, approximately...'). However, there are several noticeable grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The figure are given'), tense inconsistency ('become' instead of 'became'), and an incorrect verb form ('before fallen slightly' instead of 'before falling'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they demonstrate inconsistent control over complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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