Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 grapgh illustrates the number of visitors who visited a Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. It also shows that where these tourists stayed during their visit. Overall, total number of visitors increased continously across the years. While, the proportion of people who stayed on the island and the cruise ship varied across the years. However, traveler staying on cruise ships gradually increased after 2012 and reached higher than those staying on island. At first, the proportion of total visitors accounted for 1 million in 2010, which increased gradually till 2015 and reached about 2.75 million. It rose to 1.25, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 by 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. However, the number of tourists remain unchanged in 2015 and 2016. Furthermore, these numbers increased to 3.5 million by 2017. Moreover, the proportion of tourists staying on island remained the same in 2010 and 2011. While, it increased to 1.25 million in 2012 and increased further to 1.5 million by 2013 which remain unchanged till 2015. It fell to 1.25 million in 2016 while rose again to 1.5 million by 2017. Furthermore, the number of visitors who stayed on cruise ships were 0.25 million in 2010 which rose to 0.5 by 2011 and fell again to 0.25 in 2012. In 2013 the proportion of traveler who stayed on cruise ships increased again to 0.5 million. It increased gradually by 1, 1.25, 1.5 and 2 million in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You covered all parts of the task, including the total visitor numbers and the breakdown between island and cruise ship stays. However, there are some inaccuracies in your reporting of the data. For instance, you stated that the total number of visitors remained unchanged in 2015 and 2016, but the graph shows a clear increase between these years. Additionally, you occasionally confuse 'proportion' with 'number' or 'total', which affects the precision of your analysis. To improve, ensure you double-check the data points against the graph to avoid factual errors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the data. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'While' to connect your ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly repetitive. The transition between sentences could be smoother, and the paragraphing is functional but could be more sophisticated. The overall progression of ideas is clear, but the frequent use of 'While' at the start of sentences is a stylistic weakness that impacts the flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accounted for', 'gradually increased', and 'remained unchanged'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, you use 'proportion' when referring to absolute numbers (e.g., 'proportion of total visitors accounted for 1 million'), which is imprecise. There are also some minor spelling errors, such as 'grapgh' and 'continously'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for data reporting and ensure you distinguish between percentages/proportions and absolute values.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'number of tourists remain unchanged') and incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'number of visitors who stayed on cruise ships were'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and ensure consistent tense usage when describing past data. Proofreading for small errors like missing articles or pluralization would also be beneficial.

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

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