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 graph illustrated shows the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Firstly, The visitors of staying on cruise ship in 2010 million of visitors online 0 percent and than day by day increasing in value of visitors and 2017 of millions people of visitors in staying than 2 million visitor of cruise ship. The visitors staying on island of 2010 the people staying in 0.5 to 1 millions. And the values increase day by day 2017 the total people 1.5 I. Staying the island. Millions people staying on cruise ships of than increase and than case of staying of island visitors lows.
In 2010, approximately 0.75 million tourists stayed on the island, compared with only 0.25 million who stayed on cruise ships. The number of island visitors increased gradually to 1.5 million in 2013 and then remained unchanged until 2015. It fell slightly to 1.25 million in 2016 before recovering to 1.5 million in 2017.
By contrast, cruise-ship visitors fluctuated at first, reaching 0.5 million in 2011 and falling to 0.25 million in 2012. However, the figure then rose steadily to 2 million in 2017, becoming higher than the number staying on the island.
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, identifying the trends for both island and cruise-ship visitors. However, the first paragraph is highly problematic; it contains incoherent, repetitive, and grammatically broken sentences that fail to convey clear information. While the second and third paragraphs successfully present the data with accuracy, the inclusion of the initial garbled paragraph significantly detracts from the overall task achievement. To improve, ensure that every sentence contributes clearly to the summary and avoid repeating information in a disorganized manner.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the internal structure is inconsistent. The first paragraph is extremely difficult to follow due to poor sentence construction and a lack of logical flow. The subsequent paragraphs show better organization, using transition words like 'By contrast' and 'However' to link ideas effectively. However, the overall progression is hindered by the poor quality of the introduction. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that cohesive devices are used to connect ideas smoothly rather than just listing data points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, with terms like 'fluctuated', 'remained unchanged', and 'recovering' used appropriately in the latter half of the response. However, there is significant repetition of basic words like 'visitors' and 'staying'. The first paragraph contains awkward phrasing and word-choice errors (e.g., 'online 0 percent') that impede clarity. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of synonyms and collocations related to data description, such as 'witnessed a steady rise' or 'experienced a slight decline'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the second and third paragraphs are generally accurate, the first paragraph is riddled with severe grammatical errors, including incorrect word order, missing articles, and fragmented sentences (e.g., 'The visitors of staying on cruise ship in 2010 million of visitors online 0 percent'). These errors make the opening section very difficult to read. The later sections show better control, but the overall score is limited by the lack of consistency and the frequency of errors in the initial part of the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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