Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The line graph presents the proportion of tourists visiting a specific Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Overall, it can be seen that, total had the highest number of visitors, visitors staying on island increased significantly. Total recorded the highest number at the end the period. In addition, visitors staying on cruise fluctuated throughout the period.

Looking at the number of the categories that shared an upward trend, visitors staying on cruise ships stood at -0.5 millions in 2010 and than fluctuated 1 millions in 2014. Similarly, visitors staying on cruise ships reached 1.1 millions of visitors in 20167. Meanwhile, total had the highest proportion of visitors, stood at 1 millions and than increased gradually to 2.5 millions of visitors in 2014. Total rose from 3.5 millions of visitors in 2017.

Turning to the remaining category, visitors staying on island started from 0.3 millions of visitors in 2010 and than fluctuated throughout the period and reached 2 millions of visitors in 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main features of the graph, but the data presentation is inconsistent and contains significant inaccuracies. For example, the student states that 'total' reached 2.5 million in 2014 and 3.5 million in 2017, which contradicts the provided visual data. Furthermore, the description of the 'cruise' category is confusing, with contradictory figures such as '-0.5 millions' and '20167'. While the overview attempts to highlight trends, the lack of precision in reporting the data points prevents a higher score. The response addresses the task requirements but fails to accurately report the information shown in the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical progression is hindered by repetitive phrasing and unclear referencing. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes misused, such as the repetitive use of 'and than' to link sentences. The transition between the overview and the body paragraphs is abrupt. While there is an attempt to group information by category, the lack of clarity in the data presentation makes the overall flow difficult to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'visitors', 'number', and 'increased'. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'visitors staying on cruise' instead of 'cruise ship passengers'. The misuse of numerical data and the inclusion of nonsensical figures (e.g., '20167') further detract from the lexical quality. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to convey the information with the precision required for an Academic Task 1 response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'total had the highest number', and incorrect sentence structures, such as 'than fluctuated 1 millions'. Punctuation is inconsistent, and the use of articles is often missing or incorrect. While there is an attempt to use complex structures, they are frequently faulty, leading to a lack of clarity. The majority of sentences contain errors, which limits the score in this criterion.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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