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 given graph tells about the number of people who came to the Caribbean Island from the year 2010 to 2017.
Overall, the total number of people who came to the Caribbean Island increased quite significantly from 2010 to 2017, especially those who wanted to stay on the island rather than staying on the cruise ships. The number of people who enjoyed staying on the island highly increased during these years.
In 2010, the total number of visitors was 1 million, but with the passage of time, the number of visitors increased. In 2017, the total number of visitors reached 3.5 million, which is a huge number. Most people in 2010 loved to stay on the cruise ships, but during this time, there was not a significant increase in this number. There was still a slight increment of almost half a million. However, one of the significant things in 2010 was that no one wanted to stay on the island, but later, a large number of people showed interest in staying on the island rather than on cruise ships.
People really enjoyed staying on the island. This is why, from half a million in 2010, the number of visitors increased to 2 million in 2017.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 overall upward trend and the shift in preference from cruise ships to island stays. However, the analysis is slightly inaccurate in places; for instance, the claim that 'no one wanted to stay on the island' in 2010 is factually incorrect based on the graph, which shows a figure of 0.5 million. Additionally, the description of the cruise ship data as having 'no significant increase' is somewhat subjective and lacks precise data comparison. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are reported accurately and that comparisons between the two categories are more clearly defined throughout the period.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that separate the trends. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'In 2010', and 'However' helps guide the reader through the information. However, the progression of ideas is occasionally repetitive, particularly in the final paragraph, which restates information already covered. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the data points more fluidly rather than relying on simple chronological sequencing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey the main trends. There is some attempt to use descriptive language, such as 'increased quite significantly' and 'slight increment'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic phrasing like 'huge number' and 'loved to stay', which are not ideal for an academic report. To improve, the student should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to data trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'surpassed', or 'accounted for', and avoid informal language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the total number of people who came to the Caribbean Island increased quite significantly' (which is slightly wordy) and 'one of the significant things in 2010 was that no one wanted to stay'. The punctuation is generally correct, but the sentence variety is somewhat restricted. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim for more complex sentence structures and ensure greater precision in their grammatical choices to avoid minor errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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