Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-18

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 6.0)

The graph illustrates the fluctuation of the number of visitors in Carribean Island from 2010 to 2017. There is a steady increase in number of tourists on cruise ships from 2012 to 2017. The highest number of tourists were in 2017 and the graph was increasing at an increasing rate. On the other hand, the number of visitors staying on the island was increasing at a slower rate comparatively, however, the graph levelled off from 2013 to 2015 and then started to plummet.

Overall the number of tourists staying on the cruise ship was less than visitors staying on the Island. The highest number of vistors on the cruise ships was, 2 million in 2017 and the lowest was 0.25 million in 2010 and 2012. Subsequently, the highest number of visitors on the Island in the 3 consequtive years 2013, 2014 and 2015, was 1.5 million and the lowest was 0.75 million in 2010.

The graph demonstrates that the overall number of tourists on this Island was increasing every year with a sharp spike in 2017 which was 3.5 million and the lowest was in 2010 of about 1 million tourists.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main overall rise in total visitors, from about 1 million in 2010 to 3.5 million in 2017, and include useful comparisons such as the cruise-ship figure reaching 2 million and island stays peaking at 1.5 million. However, some descriptions are inaccurate or unclear: island visitors did not “plummet” after 2015; they dipped slightly from 1.5 to 1.25 million in 2016 before returning to 1.5 million. The claim that cruise-ship numbers were lower than island visitors throughout is also incorrect, as they were higher in 2017. The overview is present, but the key trends need more precise reporting and comparison to fully address the data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is divided into three paragraphs and generally moves from trends to selected figures and then the total, so the reader can follow its broad purpose. However, the progression is not fully logical: the first paragraph introduces trends, the second repeats several peak and low points, and the final paragraph restates the total trend. Some linking is mechanical or unclear, particularly “On the other hand” and “Subsequently,” which do not accurately express the relationships between the information. Organise the report into a concise overview followed by paragraphs comparing the two visitor categories and the total. This would reduce repetition and make the comparisons easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “steady increase,” “levelled off,” “highest,” and “lowest,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more descriptive language, such as “sharp spike,” although this is not quite suitable for the gradual rise in the total. Some word choices are inaccurate: “plummet” exaggerates the small dip in island visitors, while “increasing at an increasing rate” is not clearly supported by the figures. Spelling errors such as “Carribean,” “vistors,” and “consequtive” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise trend language and check spelling; for example, describe the island figure as dipping slightly rather than plummeting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast clause beginning “On the other hand” and a relative clause in “which was 3.5 million.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “The highest number of tourists were” has subject–verb disagreement, and “increase in number of tourists” is missing an article or determiner. The sentence beginning “The highest number of visitors on the cruise ships was, 2 million” has unnecessary punctuation and awkward sentence structure. There is also inconsistent capitalisation of “Island.” Review agreement, articles, and punctuation, and use clearer sentence patterns when reporting figures.

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