Table: International Tourist Arrivals Report (Band 9)
Band-9 Task 1 report on a tourist-arrivals table, with data-triage technique, ranking vocabulary, and anomaly-spotting structure.
The table shows international tourist arrivals (millions) in eight countries in 2010 and 2020. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features.
A Band-9 model report
The table ranks tourist arrivals across eight destinations at decade's distance, with France dominant throughout and most countries growing — except one dramatic reversal.
Overall, France led in both years, rising from 77 to 89 million. Spain and the United States followed at distance, while Thailand showed the fastest proportional growth and the United Kingdom was the sole major decliner.
France's leadership never wavered: 77 million in 2010, 89 million in 2020, ahead by more than twenty million in both years. Spain climbed from 53 to 68 million, consolidating second place, while America edged from 60 to 63 million — growth in absolute terms but a relative slide from second to third.
The middle order reshuffled. Thailand nearly doubled from 16 to 30 million, the table's sharpest rise, overtaking several European rivals. Italy grew modestly from 43 to 51 million. The anomaly is Britain: arrivals fell from 30 to 22 million, the only decline recorded — plausibly reflecting currency, policy, or competitive effects, though the table itself offers no cause.
The pattern is concentration plus exception: established leaders extended their lead, emerging Asia surged, and one mature destination retreated against the tide.
(199 words)
Examiner notes: why Band 9
Task Achievement (9): Overview triages perfectly — leader, followers, fastest riser, sole decliner. Not every cell reported; every reported cell matters. The UK anomaly flagged without speculation beyond the data.
Coherence & Cohesion (9): Leader/followers/reshuffle/anomaly sequence with ranking transitions. "Consolidating," "edged," "reshuffled" carry movement precisely.
Lexical Resource (9): Table-handling fluency: "at decade's distance," "never wavered," "consolidating second," "relative slide," "modestly," "against the tide." Approximation natural throughout.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy (9): Participial phrases, concessive clauses, em-dash qualification. Clean.
High-scoring phrases
- at decade's distance — ten-year comparison (elegant phrase)
- never wavered — unshaken lead
- relative slide — rank falling despite growth
- sharpest rise — fastest growth superlative
- against the tide — contrary movement
- concentration plus exception — pattern summary close
Quick answers
Tables overwhelm me with numbers. Where do I start?
Find the three stories: the biggest, the fastest-changing, and the odd one out. Ignore everything else on first pass, then add one supporting figure per story.
Should I report every row?
Never. Group rows: leaders, middle pack, laggards. Mention grouped members once with approximate ranges instead of individual figures.
Master every chart type in the Task 1 samples library.