Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-23
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 illustrates the number of tourists who visited a Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017, distinguishing between those who stayed on cruise ships and those who stayed on the island itself.
Overall, the total number of visitors increased substantially over the period, reaching a peak of 3.5 million in 2017. While the number of tourists staying on cruise ships experienced particularly rapid growth, the figure for those staying on the island fluctuated moderately and remained relatively stable during the middle years.
In 2010, the island welcomed approximately 1 million tourists, of whom 0.75 million stayed on the island, compared with just 0.25 million who stayed on cruise ships. The total figure rose gradually to 1.5 million in 2012, before climbing to 2 million in 2013 and 2.5 million in 2014. It subsequently increased more modestly, reaching approximately 2.75 million in both 2015 and 2016.
Regarding accommodation, the number of cruise-ship visitors increased steadily after a slight decline from 0.5 million in 2011 to 0.25 million in 2012. It then rose to 1 million in 2014 and reached 2 million by 2017. By contrast, the number of tourists staying on the island peaked at 1.5 million in 2013, remained unchanged until 2015, and fell to 1.25 million in 2016 before recovering to 1.5 million in the final year.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The student has provided a very thorough and accurate response to the prompt, fully covering all parts of the task. The overview clearly highlights the overall upward trend and the peak in 2017, as well as contrasting the different movement patterns of the two visitor categories. Specific data points from the chart are correctly reported and contrasted, such as the total rising to 3.5 million and the breakdown between cruise-ship and island-stay tourists across the years. There are no notable omissions or inaccurate data representations, demonstrating a strong ability to select, report, and compare main features from visual data.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression. It begins with an appropriate introductory paragraph, followed by a concise and effective overview paragraph. The body paragraphs are logically divided, with the third paragraph discussing overall figures and the fourth focusing specifically on accommodation types. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and naturally throughout the text (e.g., 'While the number of...', 'Before climbing to...', 'Regarding accommodation...', 'By contrast'). Paragraphing is fully appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity and readability of the response.
Lexical Resource: Band 7.5
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical range suitable for an Academic Task 1 response. Vocabulary is used precisely to describe trends and changes, such as 'increased substantially', 'experienced particularly rapid growth', 'fluctuated moderately', and 'remaining relatively stable'. Less common lexical items and collocation patterns are handled well, with only occasional minor imperfections. Spelling and word choice are accurate throughout, ensuring that communication is smooth and effortless for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0
The writing exhibits a wide range of complex grammatical structures used accurately and flexibly. The student successfully employs subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and comparative structures (e.g., 'distinguishing between those who stayed on...', 'of whom 0.75 million stayed on the island, compared with just 0.25 million who stayed on cruise ships'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and control over grammar and punctuation is consistently strong. Any minor errors are virtually absent, placing this response firmly in the higher band range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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