Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-12

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The line graph shows the number of first time visitors and returning visitors who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008.

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

The line graph shows the number of first time visitors and returning visitors who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The line bar illustrates the number of first time tourists and returning tourists who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008.

Overall, the number of returning tourists accounted significant rose, while in 2006 this figure dropped slightly. By contrast, the people who visited first time fall first two years, then this figure grew over the period.

In 2000, 8000 people visited for the first time in Caryl Island, while this figure experienced a sharp decline to 4000, a fall of 4000 visitors. Afterwards from 2002 to 2008 the tourists grew continuously, 6000 in 2004, 10000 in 2006 a dramatic jumped, and almost 12000 in 2008.

In trams of returning visitors, they started approximately from 3000 in 2000. After that in 2002, this figure showed a significant rose and reached to 10000. Similarly, this figure grew till 2006 at about 15000 visitors. However, this figure accounted a declined in 2008 and fall to around 13500 tourists.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for both visitor types. You have successfully identified the key turning points, such as the decline in first-time visitors in the early years and the growth in returning visitors until 2006. However, the overview is slightly weak; while it attempts to summarize the trends, it lacks a clear, concise synthesis of the overall patterns. Additionally, some data points are described with minor inaccuracies (e.g., stating 8000 for 2000 when the graph shows a different value). To improve, ensure your overview highlights the most significant contrast between the two categories across the entire period.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. There is a clear progression of ideas as you move from the first category to the second. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'In trams of' (likely a typo for 'In terms of') and the repetitive use of 'this figure'. The transition between sentences could be smoother to avoid a list-like feel. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring referencing is precise would help elevate the score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main points, using terms like 'sharp decline', 'dramatic jumped', and 'continuously'. However, there are several errors in word choice and form that occasionally impede clarity, such as 'accounted significant rose' (should be 'showed a significant rise') and 'a dramatic jumped' (should be 'a dramatic jump'). The phrase 'In trams of' is a noticeable error. To reach a higher band, focus on using collocations correctly and ensuring that word forms (nouns vs. verbs) are used accurately in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and word forms, such as 'the number of returning tourists accounted significant rose' and 'this figure accounted a declined'. There are also issues with prepositions and articles, such as 'visited for the first time in Caryl Island' (should be 'on Caryl Island'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the data, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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