Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-10-31

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.

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 amount of first time visitors and returning visitors who visited Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008.

Overall, this report shows the comparison between the number of first time visitors and returning visitors on Caryl Island from 2000 to 2008. According, to this report the proportion of returning visitors increased from 2000 to 2008.

In 2000 the highest number of Island visitors was first time visitors but it decreased during the time and reached the lowest point from 8000 visitors to 4000 visitors in 2002. However, after sometime it began to again rising and reached the maximum number of visitors in 2008 was about 12000.

Moreover, the minimum number of returning visitors in 2000 was about 3000 however, the number of returning visitors were started to sharply raised with time. In addition, the highest share of returing visitors in 2006 was about 15000 but it also decreased in 2008.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify both visitor groups and report several key movements, including the first-time figure falling from about 8,000 to 4,000 in 2002 and returning visitors peaking at roughly 15,000 in 2006 before declining. However, the overview is unclear and inaccurate: returning visitors did not increase throughout the whole period, since their number fell by 2008, and the first-time series also rose after 2002. The response gives limited coverage of the main comparisons and omits the 2004 figures. It is also 21 words below the 150-word minimum; the 24 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. To strengthen the report, give a concise overview of both series and describe their contrasting changes with accurate comparisons.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction and overview to separate descriptions of the two visitor groups. This gives the reader some sense of organisation. However, progression is limited: the overview repeats the task wording rather than summarising the main trends, and the body paragraphs do not consistently present changes in a clear chronological sequence. Linking expressions such as “However,” “Moreover,” and “In addition” are used, but some connections are awkward or do not clarify the relationship between the figures. For example, the first-time visitors paragraph jumps from the 2002 low to the 2008 high without mentioning the intervening rise. Organise each series chronologically and use linking words only where they express a clear contrast or addition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “decreased,” “lowest point,” “maximum,” and “sharply,” so the reader can generally understand the trends you intend to report. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “the highest share” for a number of visitors and “began to again rising.” “Proportion” is also not appropriate here because the graph reports visitor numbers, not percentages. There are noticeable spelling errors, including “returing,” and repeated use of “number of visitors.” Aim for more precise graph language and check spelling. For example, use “figure” or “total” where appropriate, and describe a peak as the “highest number” rather than a “share.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “but,” “however,” and “after.” Nevertheless, errors are frequent, and some sentence patterns are difficult to follow. In the opening, the comma after “illustrates” is unnecessary. The phrase “According, to this report” has incorrect punctuation, while “the number of returning visitors were started to sharply raised” contains problems with agreement, verb form, and sentence construction. The sentence about first-time visitors reaching a maximum in 2008 also lacks a clear grammatical structure. Use straightforward subject–verb patterns, such as “The number rose to about 12,000,” and check agreement and verb forms before adding more complex clauses.

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