Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below shows the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of tourist s visiting a Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Overall, the total number of visitors has been increased from 1 million to 3.5 millions. The number of tourists staying on cruise ships had fluctuations from 2010 to 2013 and after that it had a steadily rise till 2017. On the other hand

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the graph’s subject and give a relevant overall trend, noting that total visitors rose from 1 million to 3.5 million and that cruise-ship numbers fluctuated before increasing. However, the response is only a brief start: it ends mid-sentence at “On the other hand” and does not report the island-staying figures or make the key comparisons between the two visitor groups. The overview is therefore incomplete, and there is too little supporting detail to summarise the graph adequately. The response also falls 90 words short of the required minimum. To improve, complete the comparison and include selected figures, such as island visitors rising to about 1.5 million and cruise-ship visitors reaching 2 million by 2017.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The opening sentence introduces the graph, and “Overall” signals an attempt to separate the overview from the introduction. The ideas that are present are broadly relevant and follow a sensible order, but the response is too short to establish a complete progression or effective paragraph structure. The final phrase, “On the other hand,” is left without the contrasting point it promises, so the connection between ideas remains unfinished. Develop the response into an introduction, a concise overview, and detail paragraphs comparing the two categories over time. Use linking expressions only when the relationship is clear, and ensure each sentence is complete before moving to the next point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant task vocabulary, including “line graph,” “total number of visitors,” “fluctuations,” and “steadily,” so the topic is generally clear. The range is limited, however, and some word forms or collocations are inaccurate: “tourist s” contains an unnecessary space, “3.5 millions” should be “3.5 million,” and “a steadily rise” is not a natural phrase. These errors are noticeable, although the intended meaning can still be understood. Aim for accurate, varied expressions such as “visitor numbers,” “increased steadily,” and “the number of tourists staying on the island.” Check spelling, spacing, and whether a noun is countable before finalising the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response includes a few simple sentence patterns and attempts to describe change over time, but the grammatical range is narrow and several errors affect accuracy. In “the total number of visitors has been increased,” the passive form is inappropriate; use “increased” or “rose.” “The number … had fluctuations” also uses an unsuitable verb construction, while “it had a steadily rise” has an incorrect article and adjective form. The final “On the other hand” is not followed by a clause, leaving the sentence incomplete. Practise accurate past-tense descriptions of the graph and combine them with controlled comparisons, for example: “Cruise-ship visitors fluctuated until 2013, then rose steadily.”

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