The line graph and table below give information about the number of tourists and tourism income in four Asian countries.

Graph Table Number Tourists Tourism Income Four Asian Countries - IELTS Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 7.5 · 288 words.

The line graph illustrates the number of international tourist visits (in millions) to Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia between 2000 and 2014, while the table compares the income generated from tourism in these countries in 2014.

Overall, all four countries experienced an upward trend in tourist arrivals over the period, with Malaysia and Thailand attracting significantly more visitors than Singapore and Indonesia. In addition, Thailand generated the highest tourism revenue in 2014, whereas Indonesia earned the least.

Turning to the number of visitors to Malaysia and Thailand, Malaysia was the most attractive destination for visitors throughout the period, starting at 10 million tourists before experiencing a sharp increase to 25 million by the end of the period, and remained one of the most popular destinations for tourists. In contrast, figures in Thailand showed a fluctuating trend, increasing slightly from 10 million in 2000 to 13 million in 2002, before falling back to the initial level by 2004, and then rising significantly to around 23 million by 2014. Despite attracting fewer visitors overall, Thailand generated higher tourism revenue, at 39.1 billion compared to Malaysia’s 28 billion.

Regarding the remaining countries, visitor numbers in Singapore and Indonesia fluctuated over the period. In 2000, the figure in Singapore was 7 million, which then fell slightly to 5 million in 2004, followed by a rise to 11 million by the end of the period. In Indonesia, the figures stood at 5 million in 2000 and remained unchanged until 2004 before rising to 10 million by 2014. There appears to be a correlation between visitor numbers and revenue, as both Singapore and Indonesia recorded relatively low figures in visitor number and earned the lowest revenue, at only 10,4 billion and 9,8 billion respectively.

Examiner feedback

This is a very strong response that clearly identifies the main trends and provides a logical comparison between the two data sets. The overview is comprehensive, and the data selection is relevant. To reach Band 8.0 or 9.0 in all areas, focus on even more precise vocabulary for trends and ensure all units (like dollar signs) are included.

Task Achievement - 8

- The response covers all requirements of the task, including a clear overview of both the line graph and the table. - Key features are skillfully selected, highlighting the growth in arrivals and the disparity in revenue. - Data is accurately cited to support descriptions, though the 'fluctuation' described for Thailand and Indonesia is actually more of a steady growth after a plateau.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- Information and ideas are logically sequenced with a clear progression from the overview to specific country comparisons. - Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Regarding', and 'Despite' are used effectively to link ideas. - Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the discussion of the two major leaders from the smaller contributors.

Lexical Resource - 7

- The vocabulary is sufficient to allow for flexibility and precision in describing trends (e.g., 'upward trend', 'fluctuating', 'generated'). - Some less common items like 'correlation' and 'revenue' are used appropriately. - There are minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as using 'figures' for a single country's data point.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 7

- A variety of complex structures is used, including participial phrases ('starting at...', 'increasing slightly...') and subordinate clauses. - Grammar and punctuation are generally well-controlled, though some minor phrasing issues exist. - Frequent error-free sentences are present throughout the response.

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