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 line graph presents the number of visitors to a Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the total number of visitors to the island has increased exponentially over the period. Wherein, the visitors staying on cruise ships steady with no change from 2010 to 2012 but after that they rate of visitors has risen significantly. The visitors staying on island remain same for first two years but shows growth in next two years from 0.75 million to 1.5 million. Afterwards they remain at the same position till the end, although, they went down in numbers by 0.25 in 2016 and rise again by same in 2017. Next, the number of people staying on ships did not leap till 2012 with 0.25 million in value but thereafter, they never went down 0.5 million in 2013, rising onwards, 1 million in 2014 then 1.25 million in 2015 again grow by 0.25 million and reaching 2 million in 2017. It is apparent that the tourists are coming to Caribbean Island for staying on cruise ships instead of staying on island.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, identifying the overall upward trend and comparing the two categories. However, the description of the data is occasionally imprecise. For instance, stating that visitors staying on the island 'remain at the same position' after 2014 is slightly inaccurate as the data shows fluctuations. The summary of the cruise ship data is also somewhat cluttered with numbers, making it harder to follow the overall trend. To reach a higher band, focus on grouping data more effectively and ensuring that the most significant trends—such as the cruise ship category overtaking the island-stay category—are highlighted more clearly as the main feature.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs, which provides a logical structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or awkward. Phrases like 'Wherein, the visitors' and 'Next, the number of people' do not flow naturally. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly when discussing the fluctuations in 2016 and 2017. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the transition between ideas could be smoother to improve the overall progression of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a reliance on basic verbs such as 'remain', 'rise', and 'go down'. While some specific terms like 'exponentially' are used, they are not always contextually accurate. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'they rate of visitors' instead of 'the rate of visitors' and 'reaching 2 million in 2017' (which is a bit repetitive). Expanding the range of synonyms for describing trends would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'the visitors staying on cruise ships steady with no change' (missing verb), 'they rate of visitors' (incorrect pronoun), and 'they never went down 0.5 million' (missing preposition). While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions when describing numerical data.

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