Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-28
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 tourists who are new and repeated tourists to Carly island from the year 2000 to 2008. Looking at the overall data, it is readily apparent that number of repeated visitors are comparatively increased than the number of new visitors.
In 2000, the number of people visited first time to Carly island are 8000, which is significantly fewer than repeated visitors at 3000 people. In the upcoming year, numbers of both categories intersected at 6000 individuals. After which number of new tourist fell dramatically to 4000, whereas number of old visitors rise sharply to 10000 visitors. Moreover, in 2003 and 2004 number grew constantly for new as well as returning tourists, reaching 6000 and 12000 by the end of 2004.
The number of new tourists grew significantly and reached to the peak of 15000 visitors by the year 2006. Whereas, returning visitors seen gradual growth of 9500 people by the same year. Furthermore, returning tourist saw a downward trend reaching at 13500 by the end of the period. Whereas, new visitors rose the highest of 12000 people by the final year.
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 categories. You successfully identified the key turning points and provided a clear overview. However, there are some inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you stated that in 2000, first-time visitors were 8000 and returning visitors were 3000, which contradicts the graph. Additionally, the description of the final figures (13500 and 12000) lacks precision compared to the visual data. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are read accurately and that the comparison between categories is consistent throughout the summary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction and body paragraphs that follow a chronological progression. You use cohesive devices such as 'In 2000', 'After which', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the transition between the two categories could be smoother. The overall structure is coherent, but the flow between sentences could be improved by varying the cohesive markers and ensuring that the relationship between the two visitor groups is more explicitly connected.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'illustrates', 'dramatically', 'sharply', and 'downward trend'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'repeated tourists' instead of 'returning visitors' and 'people visited first time' which is grammatically awkward. While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, some collocations are slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends and ensure that your word choices are consistently appropriate for an academic report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. Examples include 'number of repeated visitors are comparatively increased' (subject-verb agreement), 'number of people visited first time' (missing auxiliary/passive voice), and 'returning visitors seen gradual growth' (missing auxiliary verb). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in tense and sentence construction prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice for data reporting would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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