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 shows the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. In 2010, one million visitors visited the island and later on the number of visitors to that island gradually increases. In 2011, around 1.3 million visitors went to Caribbean island. Every year there was an increase in the amount of tourists to that island. Between 2015 to 2016 around 2.75 million tourists reached the island for their visit. After 2016, there was a rapid increase observed where around 3.5 million travelers made their journey to Caribbean island.

During the journeys of tourists, different people made their choice and stayed on island while others made their stay in cruise ships. In the year 2010, 0.25 million tourists chosen to stay on cruise ships but 0.75 stayed on the island. In 2011, similar amount of people, as in 2010, preferred to stay on the island while there was an increase in choice of people staying on cruise ships, 0.5% which was more than in the recent year. Then from 2012 to 2015, visitors preferred their stay on the island during their visit than to be staying on the cruise ships. Both choices were attracted in these years but the choice for staying on the island was given more importance by the tourists. In 2016, much tourists made their choice in staying on the cruise ships than to be staying on the island. Between years 2016 to 2017, around 2 million tourists preferred staying on the cruise ships which was more than people staying on island which were around 1.4 million in numbers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the overall upward trend and the breakdown between island and cruise ship visitors. However, the analysis is inconsistent. For instance, the claim that 'every year there was an increase' is inaccurate, as the data shows fluctuations. Furthermore, the description of the data is sometimes imprecise, such as the mention of '0.5%' for cruise ship visitors in 2011, which appears to be a misinterpretation of the units (millions). While the key trends are identified, the lack of precision in reporting figures and the misinterpretation of data points prevent a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into two main paragraphs, which is a logical approach for this task. However, the flow of ideas is sometimes hindered by repetitive phrasing and mechanical transitions. Phrases like 'During the journeys of tourists' and 'Then from 2012 to 2015' feel somewhat forced. While the progression of information is generally clear, the use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally awkward, such as the transition between the total visitor numbers and the specific accommodation types. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the second paragraph could be more cohesive to better link the comparisons.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There is a reliance on basic verbs like 'made' and 'stayed', and some word choices are unnatural, such as 'much tourists' instead of 'many tourists' or 'more tourists'. The misuse of '0.5%' instead of '0.5 million' indicates a lack of control over technical reporting. While the student attempts to describe trends, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there are noticeable errors in collocation and word choice that occasionally make the meaning slightly confusing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as '0.25 million tourists chosen to stay' (should be 'chose') and 'more than people staying on island which were around 1.4 million' (missing articles and awkward relative clause). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are problematic throughout the text. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors is high enough to distract the reader, and the control over complex structures is not yet secure.

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