Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-09

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 visitors visiting a specific Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Overall, total tourists over the years has significantly increased, while their preferences fluctuated over the period.

From 2010 to 2012, total number of visitors steadily increase to 1.5 million, from there it drastically grew to 2.5 million by 2014. The trend then slowed down and rose very little to above 2.5 million in 2016. In between 2016 and 2017 it surged to 3.5 million visitors.

Visitors staying on cruise shiips was the least favourite activity in 2010. It fluctuated till 2013 and reached to 0.5 million visitors. After 2013 it steadily rose, and by 2016 it overtook visitors staying on island, reaching 2 million visitors in 2017. Tourists staying on island remained constant till 2011 at above 0.5 million. It sharply grew to 1.5 million by 2013, and then showed no changed till 2015. It fell little bit in 2016 and came back to 1.5 million in 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main components of the graph and provide a clear overview: total visitor numbers rose substantially, while the two accommodation groups followed different patterns. Several key comparisons are accurately reported, including the total reaching 3.5 million in 2017 and cruise-ship visitors overtaking island-stayers by 2017. This detailed selection supports a response that meets the task well. Some figures and descriptions are less precise, however: cruise-ship numbers reached 0.5 million in 2013, but the account of their earlier fluctuations is vague, and the island figure was about 0.75 million in 2010–11 rather than simply “above 0.5 million.” To strengthen the overview further, identify the overall contrast more explicitly: island stays were higher for most of the period, while cruise visits drove much of the late growth.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by the total trend and then the two visitor categories. Time markers such as “From 2010 to 2012,” “After 2013,” and “In 2017” help readers follow the chronology. However, some linking is mechanical, and the final paragraph combines both categories in a way that makes the comparison less easy to track. “From there” has an unclear reference, while “In between 2016 and 2017” is an awkward transition. Consider grouping the two accommodation trends into separate, clearly balanced sentences and using precise references such as “the total” or “cruise-ship visitors.” This would make the progression smoother and the comparisons more explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of trend vocabulary, including “fluctuated,” “steadily rose,” “surged,” “overtook,” and “remained constant.” These choices communicate the main movements and show some flexibility beyond basic descriptions. At times, however, word choice or collocation is imprecise: “visitors visiting” is repetitive, “least favourite activity” does not accurately describe accommodation type, and “reached to” is not the natural form. There is also a spelling error in “shiips.” Aim for concise, graph-specific language and check collocations when describing figures. For example, say that visitors “stayed on cruise ships” and that their number “reached 0.5 million,” rather than describing a preference or activity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and more developed sentence forms, including clauses linked with “while” and “and,” and most of the trends remain understandable. Some grammatical errors occur, particularly with subject–verb agreement and verb forms: “total tourists … has” should use a plural verb, while “total number … increase” and “it drastically grew” need consistent past-tense forms. Articles and sentence construction also need attention in phrases such as “the total number of visitors” and “fell little bit.” These errors do not generally prevent understanding, but they reduce accuracy. Proofread each sentence for its subject and tense, and practise combining comparisons without leaving the reference of pronouns such as “it” unclear.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.