Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-09

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 shows the number of first-time visitors and returning visitors who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008. The blue line shows first-time visitors, while the red line shows returning visitors.

There is a huge increase in the number of returning visitors during the mentioned period compared to the first-time visitors. There is a huge decline in the number of first-time visitors during the year 2002.

The maximum number of returning visitors took place during the year 2006, whereas the maximum number of first-time visitors took place during the year 2008. Although the number of first-time visitors was initially high, it began to decline after 2002, unlike the number of returning visitors.

We can conclude this by saying that the number of returning visitors is higher than the number of first-time visitors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the two visitor groups and report some relevant overall features, including the peak for returning visitors in 2006 and the peak for first-time visitors in 2008. However, the overview is incomplete and one comparison is inaccurate: returning visitors were not higher throughout, since first-time visitors outnumbered them in 2000. The claim that first-time visitors “began to decline after 2002” also misrepresents the data: they fell to 4,000 in 2002, then rose steadily to about 11,800 by 2008. The response contains 114 words, below the 150-word minimum; 21 words copied from the prompt were excluded. Add key figures and describe both series’ changes more fully to address the task more completely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic, understandable sequence: it introduces the graph, gives a few main observations, and ends with a concluding statement. The contrast signalled by “whereas” and “Although” helps connect some ideas. However, the progression is limited because the body does not systematically compare the two lines across the years, and the final “We can conclude this by saying” repeats an earlier general claim rather than adding a useful summary. The paragraphing is also minimal, with the information presented as a short block. Organise the report into a clear introduction, overview, and detail paragraph, and use time references to guide the reader through the changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to identify the graph’s subject and describe basic changes, using phrases such as “first-time visitors,” “huge increase,” “decline,” and “maximum number.” The meaning is generally clear, but the range is narrow and some wording is repetitive or imprecise. “Huge” is repeated and is not supported by a specific comparison, while “maximum number … took place” is an awkward way to describe a peak. The repeated use of “number of” also makes the report less concise. Use more precise trend language and vary expressions for visitor totals and peaks; this would make the account more natural and better suited to formal data reporting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use mostly clear sentence forms, including a complex contrast in “Although the number of first-time visitors was initially high…” and a comparative clause with “whereas.” These structures are generally controlled, and the reader can follow the main points. The range is nevertheless modest, with several short, similarly structured statements and limited development of more varied comparisons. The phrase “during the year 2002” is grammatically understandable, though a simpler time expression would be more natural. To strengthen this area, practise combining accurate clauses to compare changes over time, while maintaining consistent past-tense reporting for the completed period.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.