The graph below gives information about international tourist arrivals in five countries.
Sample Response
The graph shows the number of international tourist arrivalsoverall numbers of tourist arrivals in five countries between 1995 and 2010. In 1995 over 70 million tourists visited the United States, more than twice as many as the next most popular destination shown, France. However, between 2005 and 2010 there was a decrease of approximately 2 millionapproximately 1,500,000 in arrivals to the United Statesthe numbers going to the United States whereas arrivals in France increased by nearly 20 millionthere was an increase of nearly 20 million tourists visiting France. The result was that in 2010 the number of tourists arriving in the United States and France was almost equal at around 90 million each.
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response gives an accurate, concise comparison of the United States and France and handles complex comparative sentences confidently. Its central limitation is severe underdevelopment: at 98 words, it omits Brazil, Egypt, and Malaysia and provides no overview of the five-country picture. The priority is to add a clear overall trend and grouped comparisons covering the three omitted destinations while reaching the required length.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The figures and trends for the United States and France are accurately reported, but most of the visual information is omitted.
Add an overview and compare the growth patterns and final levels of Brazil, Egypt, and Malaysia in a response of at least 150 words.
Coherence and Cohesion
The short account moves logically from the opening description through a past comparison to the converging final figures.
Develop the report into an overview and grouped detail paragraphs so all five series can be compared coherently.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary for tourist numbers, change, and comparison is accurate, varied, and appropriately formal.
Broaden the trend language when adding the missing countries, using precise terms for gradual and substantial increases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The response uses varied complex structures with accurate comparison, subordination, agreement, and punctuation.
Sustain this control across a fuller report while varying the repeated constructions built around tourist numbers.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The graph below gives information about international tourist arrivals in five countries.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.