This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay from IELTS Cambridge 15 on the topic of a line graph showing visitors to a Caribbean island.

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer Essay IELTS Cambridge 15: Tourists Visiting a Caribbean Island

The graph below shows the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The line graph details the total number of tourists, as well as where they stayed, going to a given Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017. Overall, total tourists rose considerably, and those staying on cruise ships increased in particular, overtaking staying on the island itself, which underwent a more moderate increase.

Visitors residing on the island during their travels began the period at about .75 million, about 500,000 above those on cruise ships. From there, the numbers for the former climbed quickly to 1.5 million by 2013, a full million higher than the latter at the same time. Then those on the island were relatively steady until the end of the time surveyed, while cruise ship passengers rose steadily, surpassing the former figure midway through 2015 and reaching a peak in 2017 of 2 million.

The progressive patterns for visitors on cruise ships and the island were reflected in substantial gains for overall visitors, which started at 1 million in 2010, grew consistently to 2.7 million in 2015 before plateauing through 2016 and then increasing sharply to 3.5 million by the end of the period.

Analysis

1. The line graph details the total number of tourists, as well as where they stayed, going to a given Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017. 2. Overall, total tourists rose considerably, and those staying on cruise ships increased in particular, overtaking staying on the island itself, which underwent a more moderate increase.

  1. Paraphrase what the line chart shows.
  2. Write a general overview that describes the trend for all areas. Read more about overviews here.

1. Visitors residing on the island during their travels began the period at about .75 million, about 500,000 above those on cruise ships. 2. From there, the numbers for the former climbed quickly to 1.5 million by 2013, a full million higher than the latter at the same time. 3. Then those on the island were relatively steady until the end of the time surveyed, while cruise ship passengers rose steadily, surpassing the former figure midway through 2015 and reaching a peak in 2017 of 2 million.

  1. Begin to describe the data. Always compare.
  2. You don’t need all the data but focus on important changes/growth/falls.
  3. Follow both to the end of the period, comparing them throughout.

1. The progressive patterns for visitors on cruise ships and the island were reflected in substantial gains for overall visitors, which started at 1 million in 2010, grew consistently to 2.7 million in 2015 before plateauing through 2016 and then increasing sharply to 3.5 million by the end of the period.

  1. Don’t forget to write about the overall numbers as well!

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

The line graph details the total number of tourists, as well as where they stayed, going to a given Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017. Overall, total tourists rose considerably, and those staying on cruise ships increased in particular, overtaking staying on the island itself, which underwent a more moderate increase.

Visitors residing on the island during their travels began the period at about .75 million, about 500,000 above those on cruise ships. From there, the numbers for the former climbed quickly to 1.5 million by 2013, a full million higher than the latter at the same time. Then those on the island were relatively steady until the end of the time surveyed, while cruise ship passengers rose steadily, surpassing the former figure midway through 2015 and reaching a peak in 2017 of 2 million.

The progressive patterns for visitors on cruise ships and the island were reflected in substantial gains for overall visitors, which started at 1 million in 2010, grew consistently to 2.7 million in 2015 before plateauing through 2016 and then increasing sharply to 3.5 million by the end of the period.

Answers

details illustrates

as well as and

given Caribbean island some island in the Caribbean such as Jamaice or Haiti

rose considerably increased a lot

staying on cruise ships remaining on luxury liner cruises

in particular especially

overtaking surpassing

underwent a more moderate increase experienced a smaller rise

residing living on

during their travels when they were travelling

former climbed quickly mentioned before area rose fast

higher than above

the latter the last mentioned one

at the same time in the same period of time

relatively steady generally level

end of the time surveyed by the end of the period

passengers people on cruise ships

surpassing overtaking

former figure number mentioned first

midway through halfway in

reaching a peak hit a high point

progressive patterns increasing trend

reflected mirrored, replicated

substantial gains big increases

grew consistently increased a lot

plateauing levelling off

increasing sharply rising a lot

Pronunciation

Listen and repeat:

ˈdiːteɪlz 
æz wɛl æz 
ˈgɪvn ˌkærɪˈbiːən ˈaɪlənd 
rəʊz kənˈsɪdərəbli
ˈsteɪɪŋ ɒn kruːz ʃɪps 
ɪn pəˈtɪkjʊlə
ˌəʊvəˈteɪkɪŋ 
ˌʌndəˈwɛnt ə mɔː ˈmɒdərɪtˈɪnkriːs
rɪˈzaɪdɪŋ 
ˈdjʊərɪŋ ðeə ˈtrævlz 
ˈfɔːmə klaɪmd ˈkwɪkli 
ˈhaɪə ðæn 
ðə ˈlætə 
æt ðə seɪm taɪm
ˈrɛlətɪvli ˈstɛdi 
ɛnd ɒv ðə taɪm sɜːˈveɪd
ˈpæsɪnʤəz 
sɜːˈpɑːsɪŋ 
ˈfɔːmə ˈfɪgə 
ˈmɪdˈweɪ θruː 
ˈriːʧɪŋ ə piːk 
prəʊˈgrɛsɪv ˈpætənz 
rɪˈflɛktɪd 
səbˈstænʃəl geɪnz 
gruː kənˈsɪstəntli 
ˈplætəʊɪŋ 
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ ˈʃɑːpli 

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

The line graph d________s the total number of tourists, a___________s where they stayed, going to a g__________________________d from 2010 to 2017. Overall, total tourists r____________________y, and those s__________________________s increased i____________________r, o__________________g staying on the island itself, which u______________________________________e.

Visitors r_____________g on the island d______________________s began the period at about .75 million, about 500,000 above those on cruise ships. From there, the numbers for the f___________________________y to 1.5 million by 2013, a full million h_____________n t_______________r a______________________e. Then those on the island were r____________________y until the e___________________________d, while cruise ship p_________________s rose steadily, s___________________g the f____________________e m__________________h 2015 and r____________________k in 2017 of 2 million.

The p______________________s for visitors on cruise ships and the island were r________________d in s___________________s for overall visitors, which started at 1 million in 2010, g_____________________y to 2.7 million in 2015 before p___________________g through 2016 and then i_____________________y to 3.5 million by the end of the period.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Learn about the world’s most expensive cruise ship below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4NInkmpJWE

Reading Practice

Learn about Caribbean islands below in case you are planning on taking a holiday there!

Speaking Practice

Answer the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Public Holidays

What public holidays do you celebrate in your country?

Which public holiday do you like the most?

What do you do during that holiday?

Do you think there should be more public holidays in your country?

IELTS Speaking Exam

Writing Practice

Answer the following related question and then check with my sample answer.

The graph below shows the percentage of people in different age groups in one city who attended music concerts between 2010 and 2015.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer Essay: Concerts Line Chart (Real Past IELTS Exam)

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