Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-21
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 demonstrates the proportion of tourists who visited for first time and returning visitors who visited Caryl Island within the period from 2000 to 2008.
Overall, it is clear that the returning tourists remained the highest figure over the period and faced a slight drop in the end, while those who visited for first time saw a steep drop, before experiencing a continuous upward trend over the period.
Looking at the details, returning visitors started from 3000, its indicating that in 2000 just 3000 of tourists visited. By 2002, it increased dramatically from only 3000 to approximately 10,000, which is almost triple that of 3 thousands. It gradually increased by 2006 and stopped at above 14,000, and saw a mere drop below 14,000 within the respective period.
The first time visitors indicated 8000 tourists who visited, which is double that of returning visitors , and it faced
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the line graph, identifying trends for both first-time and returning visitors over the 2000–2008 period. However, there are some inaccuracies in reading the data, such as stating that returning visitors started at 3000 (which is correct) but mischaracterising the overall trend towards the end or misreading specific years. Crucially, the response is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence ('and it faced...'), failing to provide a full report on the data. Additionally, the response falls just short of the 150-word minimum requirement, containing only 149 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed, leading to a score of 5.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a discernible structure, including an introductory paragraph and an overview sentence. However, the logical progression is hindered because the text cuts off abruptly in the second body paragraph. Cohesive devices are used in places (e.g., 'Overall', 'Looking at the details', 'By 2002'), but referencing is sometimes clumsy or repetitive, such as 'within the respective period'. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is incomplete. Overall arrangement shows some basic organisational framework, but the incomplete nature of the response limits coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items and phrases such as 'proportion of tourists', 'continuous upward trend', and 'increased dramatically'. However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'visited for first time' instead of 'first-time visitors', and awkward phrasing like 'its indicating that' and 'a mere drop' (likely meaning a slight drop). Spelling is generally acceptable, but lexical control is inconsistent, causing some strain for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and temporal prepositional phrases. However, grammatical errors are frequent. Examples include 'visited for first time' (missing article), 'its indicating that' (incorrect pronoun/verb form 'it indicates'), '3 thousand of tourists' (incorrect pluralisation), and 'that of 3 thousands' (unnecessary plural). Furthermore, the sentence structure breaks down entirely at the end as the response trails off. These errors occasionally impede smooth comprehension, placing the performance in the Band 5 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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