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)
The line graph demonstrates the data about, no of visitors in millions visiting a Caribbean island, some of them staying on cruise ship and some tourists on island, from 2010 to 2017.
To begin with, visitors staying on cruise ship represents a significant increased trend. In 2010 approximately 0.2 millions of visitors were observed and rose sharply to 0.5 millions in 2011. However, in 2012 declined gradually just up to 0.2 millions. By 2017 continually climbed up and reached, at around 2 millions.
Regarding tourists staying on island, in 2010 the figure was slightly high 0.7 millions, and remained constant up to 2011, then increased moderately and reached at the pick point in 2013, roughly 1.5millions and became stable up to 2017. while only one time in 2016, at around 1.4million.
Focusing on total, it shown a increased trend only, throughout 2010 to 2017, from 1 to 3.5 million, except in 2016, decreased slightly 2.7 millions.
Overall, cruise ship visitors were less in numbers during 2010 and significantly increased sharply up to 2017,even crossed the island figure. Sum of their was higher and continually shown a upsurge trend, except in year 2016.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, including the trends for cruise ship and island visitors, as well as the total. However, the analysis is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, cohesive overview of the data. While the key trends are identified, the reporting of specific figures is occasionally inaccurate or confusing, such as the mention of 2016 data which is not clearly supported by the graph. The summary of the total is also slightly disjointed. To improve, ensure that the overview highlights the most significant trends rather than just listing data points, and verify that all figures cited are precise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'To begin with', 'Regarding', 'Focusing on'). There are instances where the logical flow is interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as the sentence 'while only one time in 2016, at around 1.4million', which lacks a clear connection to the previous clause. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which group is being discussed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would significantly enhance the coherence of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choices and collocations, such as 'reached at the pick point' (peak) and 'upsurge trend'. The repetition of 'millions' and 'trend' limits the lexical range. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and the presence of minor errors in word formation (e.g., 'increased trend' instead of 'upward trend') prevent a higher score. Using more precise terminology for describing trends and data would improve the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include incorrect article usage ('the data about, no of visitors'), subject-verb agreement ('visitors... represents'), and prepositional errors ('reached at'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement and spacing around numbers. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To reach a higher band, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and reducing errors in articles and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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