Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-23
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 graph illustrates the number of first time visitors and returning visitors who visited Caryl island between 2000 and 2008.
Overall, the number of first time visitors fell initially, before steadily increasing in the end. In contrast, the returning visitors increased significantly over the period, reaching a peak in 2006 before declining slightly.
In 2000, about 8000 people visited Caryl for the first time, while returning visitors accounted for around 3000 visitors, and then rose dramatically to around 10000 visitors in 2002 and 12000 visitors in 2004. Whereas, first time visitor fell slightly to 4000 in 2002, before recovering 6000 visitors in 2004.
The number of returning visitors peaked at approximately 15000 in 2006, then it fell slightly to around 13000 in 2008. Meanwhile, the number of first time visitors increased significantly from 6000 to 10000 in 2006, and reach at around 12000 in 2008.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for both visitor types and key data points. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the score. While the overview is clear and the data is generally accurate, the failure to meet the length requirement means the task is not fully addressed. To improve, ensure you provide a slightly more detailed analysis of the data points to comfortably exceed the minimum word count, which would allow for a more comprehensive summary of the trends.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from general trends to specific data points. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Whereas', and 'Meanwhile' are used to link ideas effectively. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, and the transition between the overview and the body could be smoother. The overall structure is coherent, and the use of referencing is generally successful, though some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to the brevity of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with some attempts at using topic-specific language like 'accounted for', 'rose dramatically', and 'peaked'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and repetitive phrasing. For example, 'reach at around' is an incorrect collocation, and the word choice is generally functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate a wider range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'surged', 'dipped') and ensure collocations are used correctly to demonstrate more precise control over the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'first time visitor fell' (should be plural 'visitors') and 'reach at around' (incorrect verb form and preposition). There are also minor punctuation and tense consistency issues. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent use of past tense for historical data will help improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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