Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-18

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 displays the number of tourists in millions visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

The total number of tourists climbed non-stop in these years. They were 1 million in the starting year and were 3.5 million in final year. Visitors staying on cruise ships show very positive movement in these years. They grew from 0.25 million to 2 million in the final year. They experienced decline only in 2011 after that they expanded continuously. In comparison visitors staying on island were at 0.75 million in the starting year and remain at for an year. From 2011 to 2013 they increase moderately to 1.5 million and then again do not change for 3 years. Then they fall slightly in 2015 and slowly rose to 1.5 million in 2016. In contrast, the starting number of visitors staying on island was high but number of visitors staying on cruise ships was high in the final year.

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 both categories (cruise ship visitors and island stayers) and made relevant comparisons, such as noting the shift in which group was more numerous by the end of the period. However, the description of the island stayers is slightly confusing; for instance, stating they 'remain at for an year' is unclear, and the description of the fluctuations between 2013 and 2016 lacks precision. To improve, ensure that all data points mentioned are clearly linked to the specific years on the graph to avoid ambiguity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In comparison' and 'In contrast', to signal shifts in focus. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as the phrase 'remain at for an year', which lacks a clear antecedent or numerical value. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would help elevate your score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'climbed', 'expanded', and 'fluctuated' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'very positive movement' and 'starting year', which are slightly unnatural in an academic context. You also rely on basic descriptors like 'high' and 'low'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'upward trajectory', 'plateaued', or 'significant growth', and ensure your collocations are more idiomatic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'They were 1 million in the starting year' should be 'The figure stood at 1 million', and 'do not change for 3 years' should be 'remained unchanged'. There are also issues with article usage and tense consistency. While your meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and using more varied, accurate sentence structures.

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

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