Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-04
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 graph describes the data of tourists visiting a island in the caribbean during the period of seven years between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, There is a slight increase in tourisits who stayed in the cruise ship, while huge rise recorded in total number of visitors.
In 2010, there were only 0.3 million tourists who travel to the island by a cruise and stayed on it. Then the number gradually grew to 2 million in 2017 with slight dip in 2012.
The number of visitors who stayed on the island were 0.8 million in 2010 and remained same till 2011, after that visitors increased significantly to 1.5 million. There was also a little decrease in 2016 but it recover back to its position.
The overall number of tourisits rose to 3.5 million in 2017 as compared to 1 million in 2010. The number experienced a huge increase throughout the seven year period .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for cruise visitors, island stayers, and the total number of tourists. You successfully identified the key data points and made relevant comparisons between the categories. However, the analysis is somewhat basic. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide a more analytical overview that synthesizes the data rather than just listing figures. For instance, noting the relationship between the two categories and how they contribute to the total would demonstrate a more sophisticated understanding of the data. The information is accurate, but the lack of deeper synthesis limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In 2010', 'Then', and 'after that', to sequence the data. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to show the relationship between the trends more effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal flow of ideas needs more refinement to achieve a higher score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'gradually grew', 'increased significantly', and 'slight dip'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'tourisits' (repeatedly) and 'caribbean' (should be capitalized). Additionally, some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'recover back to its position'. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensure you proofread for spelling mistakes. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, the errors and the limited range of sophisticated lexical items prevent a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The number of visitors who stayed on the island were' should be 'was') and article usage ('a island', 'the cruise ship'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring accuracy will also help you achieve a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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