Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-14

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 and returning visitors of Caryl island between 2000 and 2008.

Overall, the graph is telling us about the number of visitors who came to the Caryl island for the first time and those who returned to the Caryl island for purpose of visiting between 2000 and 2008.

The graph shows that there are not many fluctuations in the ratio of both categories. In 2000, the number of first time visitors were 8000. While the amount of returning visitors were 3800. But then, at the end of 2002, the number of returning visitors increased up to 10000 while the number of first time visitors decreased up to 4000. In 2006, the number of visitors for both categories increased upto 10000(first time) and 15000(returning visitors). And then, at the end of 2008, the ratio of returning visitors was greater then the number of first time visitors. The number of returning visitors in 2008 were 13000 and the number of first time visitors were 12000.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify both visitor groups and report several relevant figures, including the fall in first-time visitors to 4,000 in 2002 and the rise in returning visitors to 15,000 in 2006. However, the overview mainly repeats what the graph is about rather than summarising its key trends. The claim that there were “not many fluctuations” is misleading: returning visitors rose sharply from 3,000 to a peak of about 15,200 before declining, while first-time visitors fell and then climbed. Some figures are also inaccurate: returning visitors in 2000 were about 3,000, not 3,800, and first-time visitors in 2006 were about 9,300, not 10,000. Select the main trends and compare them accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure, with an introduction, an attempted overview and a paragraph of figures. The events are generally presented in chronological order, and words such as “But then” and “And then” help signal changes. However, progression is limited because the overview restates the task instead of guiding the reader through the main patterns. Several transitions are awkward or repetitive, and the final comparison is not clearly developed. For example, “at the end of 2008” introduces figures without explaining how the two series changed from 2006. Organise the body around the contrasting trends, and use clearer links such as “By contrast” or “After peaking” to show relationships between data points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “first-time visitors,” “returning visitors,” “increased” and “decreased,” so the main information is understandable. There is some variation in how you refer to the figures, but several choices are imprecise or repetitive. “The ratio of both categories” is not suitable because the graph gives numbers of visitors, not a ratio, and “the graph is telling us about” is conversational rather than an appropriate reporting phrase. Expressions such as “increased up to” and “for purpose of visiting” are also unnatural collocations. Aim for precise chart language and vary verbs appropriately, for example, “rose to,” “fell to,” “reached a peak” and “the number of visitors in each group.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt some longer sentences, including the comparison beginning “while the number of first-time visitors decreased,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, control of agreement, articles and sentence boundaries is inconsistent. In “the number … were 8000,” the singular subject “number” requires “was”; the same issue appears in “the number … were 13000.” “While the amount of returning visitors were 3800” is also an incomplete, awkwardly formed sentence, with agreement errors. The sentence beginning “But then” is joined to the preceding information in a way that makes the progression less controlled. Practise accurate singular/plural agreement and build comparisons as complete sentences, using a wider range of structures with clearer punctuation.

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.