Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-16
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 illustrates the number of visitors who tavelled to a specific Caribbean island, and whether they stayed on a cruise ship or on the island, in year 2010 and 2017.
Overall, the total number tourists who either stayed on cruise ships or on island increased steadily over the period. However, the number of travellers who prefer staying on island increased gradually, whereas, the number tourists who stayed on island fluctuated between the period.
Throughtout the period, the total number of tourists increased gradually from 1 million in 2010 to 3.5 million in 2017. Although the numbers rose steadily, the total number of visitors increased sharply in the year 2016 and 2017.
The number of travellers who stayed on cruise ship also increased from approximately 0.3 million to 2 million between the years 2010 and 2017 respectively. Moreover, the number of toursists who stayed on island follows a different trend. In the year 2010 to 2011 the number accounted for just around 0.7 million. However, this number increasedto 1.5 million in 2014 before falling back to arounf 1.7 million in 2016. Then again increased slightly to 1.5 million back in 2017.
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 overall upward trend and the distinction between cruise ship and island visitors. However, there are significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For example, you state the island visitors fell to 1.7 million in 2016 and then increased to 1.5 million in 2017, which is mathematically contradictory and inconsistent with the visual data. Additionally, the summary of the total number of tourists is slightly confused by the conflicting descriptions of the trends. While you identify the main features, the lack of precision in reporting the figures prevents a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Moreover', and 'Throughout the period' are used to link ideas. However, the progression of information is sometimes hindered by confusing statements, particularly in the final paragraph where the data points are presented in a contradictory manner. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the logical flow is occasionally disrupted by the inaccurate reporting of the figures, making the overall argument difficult to follow in places.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuated', 'accounted for', and 'trend'. However, there are several spelling errors ('tavelled', 'toursists', 'throughtout') and minor collocation issues. The repetition of 'number of' and 'increased' limits the sophistication of the writing. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main points, the errors and lack of variety in descriptive language suggest a limited range that does not consistently reach the level of precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'in year 2010 and 2017' (missing articles), 'number tourists' (missing preposition), and 'increasedto' (spacing error). Additionally, the phrase 'between the years 2010 and 2017 respectively' is used incorrectly, as 'respectively' requires two distinct sets of data to be linked. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors, particularly with articles and prepositions, indicates that the control of grammar is not yet consistent enough for a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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