Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-11

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)

Overall, the total number of visitors increased significantly from the beginning year and it remained relatively stable for three years but then it shows a rapid increase again.

Initially, there were only one million total visitors recorded in 2010 where only 0.75 million tourists stayed on island and 0.25 million stayed on cruise ships, however, then it shows a rapid increase in the number of visitors and total figure reached 2.5 million in 2014 but then it shows less growth for next two years, moreover, after this slow growth period, its shows wonderful growth in the next year between 2016 and 2017 and reached 3.5 million total visitors.

By contrast, more tourists stayed on cruise ships in this time period and this number increased from 0.25 million in 2012 to 2 million in 2017, however, 1.5 million visitor figure maintained from 2012 to 2017 with a little decline in 2016 for the those who stayed on Caribbean island.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response provides a general overview and identifies key trends, such as the overall increase in visitors and the distinction between cruise and island stayers. However, the data reporting is inconsistent and contains inaccuracies. For instance, you mention 2012 as a starting point for cruise data, but the graph covers 2010–2017. Furthermore, the claim that the island visitor figure was 'maintained' at 1.5 million from 2012 to 2017 is not supported by the visual data, which shows fluctuations. To improve, ensure that all data points are accurately transcribed and that the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing figures.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure for a Task 1 response. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'it shows a rapid increase' and 'however' are used frequently, which disrupts the flow. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the connection between the figures and the categories is muddled. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would improve the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'wonderful growth' and 'rapid increase,' which are not ideal for academic reporting. 'Wonderful' is an emotive adjective that is inappropriate for a factual report. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise terminology related to data trends, such as 'significant surge,' 'plateaued,' or 'fluctuated,' and ensure that your word choices are strictly objective and formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('its shows,' 'the those who stayed') and awkward phrasing ('the beginning year'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences where commas are used to join independent clauses that should be separated by full stops or semicolons. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly enhance the accuracy of your writing.

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