Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-01

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 5.5)

The line graph illustrate the number of tourists visiting a particular Places in Island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, it is clear that the occurrence of assault cases rose steadily and that of millions of visitors a Caribbean island visitors staying on cruise ships as well as visitors staying on island.

The Number of tourists visiting a Caribbean island between 0% and around 4% during the first one year, before increasing the value of just over 1% in 2010 and ending the recorded period with about 3.5% visiting places. In 2011, the frequency of tourist visiting a Caribbean island to approximately 0.5% and then dropped to around 0.3% a year later and remained at a percentage between 1.5% to around 2.7 until the 2 years period.

In contrast, the occurrence of tourists visiting a Caribbean island increased slightly to around 2.7 in 2016 before declining dramatically over the before four years to just over 1.5% in 2012.

Subsequently, this figure tourists slightly to 2.7 to 3.5 in 2016 to 2017 and remained around the same level until 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to accurately interpret the graph. The student mentions 'assault cases' and percentages, which are not present in the provided task. The description of the trends is confusing and contradictory, with dates and figures that do not align with the visual data. While the response attempts to summarize the information, the lack of clarity and the inclusion of irrelevant, inaccurate data mean the main features are not clearly identified or reported. To improve, focus on describing the actual trends (e.g., the number of visitors on cruise ships vs. island stayers) and ensure the data cited matches the graph provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is illogical and difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In contrast' and 'Subsequently', but they are often used incorrectly or to connect unrelated or nonsensical information. The referencing is unclear, and the overall structure does not effectively guide the reader through the data. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and that transitions are used to link related ideas logically rather than just acting as mechanical fillers.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and often inappropriate for the task. There are frequent errors in word choice, such as 'occurrence of assault cases' and 'frequency of tourist visiting', which do not accurately describe the data. The repetition of phrases like 'visiting a Caribbean island' suggests a limited range. Some terms are used in ways that impede communication, making it difficult to understand the intended meaning. Increasing your range of reporting verbs and nouns related to data analysis (e.g., 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'figures') would significantly improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often distort meaning. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The line graph illustrate'), incorrect verb tenses, and sentence fragments (e.g., 'this figure tourists slightly'). The sentence structures are mostly simple or poorly constructed, and there is a lack of control over complex structures. Punctuation is also inconsistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and proofreading for common errors like pluralization and tense consistency.

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