Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-13

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 Carribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

At first glance, it is clear that the total population visited to a Carribbean island accounted for 1 million in 2010 and it gradully started increasing till 2014 and then decreased a bit in 2016, then finally reached 3.5 million in 2017. Moreover, in 2010, the number of visitors who stayed on island were around 0.8 million and remained same in 2011, after 2011, it marginally inclined to 1.5 million in 2013 and remained unchanged till 2015, before decreasing a little and then again reached 1.5 million in 2017.

Moving further, in 2010, the number of tourists who stayed on cruise ships was around 0.3 million, in 2011, its population accounted for 0.5 million and decreased to 0.3 million in 2012, then dramatically increased to 2 million in 2017.

Overall, the total visitors were the highest over the period while compared to other. The visitors who stayed on cruise ship showed a dramatic increase after 2012. However, the nuber of visitors who stayed on island fluctuated throughout the period.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main categories and give a broad account of how they changed, including the overall rise in total visitors and the strong growth in cruise-ship visitors. Several figures are accurate, such as the island-staying total of about 1.5 million in 2013 and the cruise-ship figure of 2 million in 2017. However, the overview is not fully precise: total visitors did not decrease in 2016; they remained at about 2.75 million before rising in 2017. The claim that total visitors were highest throughout compared with the other categories is also not a useful comparison, since the total combines both groups. The island-staying figure fluctuated only slightly, so describing it as fluctuating throughout overstates the pattern. More precise selection and comparison of key trends would strengthen the report.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: the first paragraph describes totals and island-based visitors, the second focuses on cruise-ship visitors, and the final paragraph attempts an overview. This makes the information easy to follow, and linking phrases such as “Moreover” and “Moving further” signal progression. To make the organisation more effective, place a concise overview near the beginning and group the two visitor categories around their contrasting trends. Some connections are mechanical or unclear: “after 2011” does not specify the years being compared, while “then finally” strings several stages together. The concluding overview also repeats earlier information rather than synthesising the main contrast. More precise referencing and less formulaic linking would improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of trend vocabulary, including “remained,” “decreased,” “inclined,” and “dramatically increased,” so the main changes are generally understandable. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for describing visitor numbers. “Population” is unsuitable for tourists, and “total population visited” is an awkward phrase; “number of visitors” or “total visitors” would be more precise. “Marginally inclined” is not a natural collocation for a rise, and “fluctuated throughout” exaggerates the small changes in island-staying visitors. There are also spelling errors, including “Carribbean,” “gradully,” and “nuber.” Aim for accurate, conventional chart language and check spelling carefully; this will make your descriptions clearer and more controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses linked with “before” and “while,” and the overall meaning is usually clear. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in longer sentences. For example, “the total population visited to a Carribbean island accounted for 1 million” has an unclear and faulty sentence structure, while “the number of tourists who stayed on cruise ships was around 0.3 million, in 2011…” joins separate clauses with commas rather than clearly separating them. The phrase “the total visitors were the highest” also has an agreement and comparison problem. Break long sequences into shorter sentences, check subject–verb agreement and articles, and use punctuation to separate each year’s change. These adjustments would improve accuracy without sacrificing sentence variety.

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