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User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 1 Band 6.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

194 words AcademicTask 1Line Graph
Task 1

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • The coast begins as the leading destination, dips slightly in 1992, then rises to finish highest.
  • Mountain visitor numbers rise gradually, with little change between 1997 and 2002.
  • The lakes have the most pronounced movement: a steep climb to the 2002 peak followed by a substantial fall.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce the chart, locations, unit and period.
  2. Summarise the overall trends and identify the standout peak or change in ranking.
  3. Describe the coast’s figures in time order.
  4. Compare the more gradual mountain trend with the lakes’ sharper rise and fall.
Useful vocabulary & examples
rose steadily
increased gradually over time

Coastal visitor numbers rose steadily after 1992.

remained close to this level
stayed approximately the same

The mountain figure remained close to 30,000 in 2002.

peaked at
reached its highest point at a particular value

The number of visitors to the lakes peaked at around 75,000 in 2002.

fell to
decreased until it reached a stated value

Lake visits fell to 50,000 by 2007.

Task Prompt

The graph below shows the number of overseas visitors to three different areas in a European country between 1987 and 2007.
IELTS Writing Task 1 visual

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 6.0

The line graph gives information about how many overseas visitors travel to three different areas over a period of 20 years in a European country. It is clear that total number of overseas visitors in a European country rose between 1987 and 2007. The most significant growth was seen in the lake areas. In 1987, the coast was the most popular destination, at about 40,000 visitors, while around 20,000 people went to the mountains and only 10,000 visited the lakes. The number travelling to the coast then dipped slightly to approximately 35,000 in 1992, before climbing steadily to 75,000 by 2007. Mountain visitor numbers followed a more gradual upward pattern, increasing from 20,000 to 35,000 over the period, with little change between 1997 and 2002. By contrast, the lakes saw a much sharper rise. The figure doubled to 20,000 in 1992 and reached 40,000 in 1997, before peaking at roughly 75,000 in 2002. It then fell to around 50,000 in the final year. Overall, although the coast ended with the highest figure, the lakes experienced the greatest fluctuation and the largest net increase.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
In the overview, state the key comparison directly: the coast finished highest, while the lakes had the largest net rise and a marked peak-and-fall pattern.
2
Check each figure against the graph before writing: the lakes peak at about 75,000 in 2002, then fall to about 50,000 in 2007.
3
Use consistent past tense for this completed time period, and check articles in phrases such as “the total number.”

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