Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-22
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 tourists who visited a particular Caribbean sea between 2010 and 2017, showing both the number of people staying on island and those staying on cruise ship.
Overall, the total number of the tourists increased considerably over the period. Although, the number of people staying on island fluctuated after 2013 and cruise ship faced a substantial rise and became the largest group in 2016.
The total number of people visiting Caribbean sea were 1 million. People staying on the cruise ship were less than 0.5 million in 2010 and it inclined to 0.5 million in 2011 and and decreased in 2012. It encountered constant rise over the years and and reached 2 million in 2017.
The total number of people on staying on island were less than a million and more than 0.5 million. It began to rise in 2011 and reached 1.5 million in 2013 and remained constant till 2015 and declined from 1 million in 2016 and again regained its position at the end of period.
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 comparison between cruise ship and island visitors. However, the reporting of data is occasionally inaccurate or confusing. For instance, stating the total number of people was 1 million in 2010 is not clearly supported by the graph, and the description of the island visitors' decline in 2016 is slightly imprecise. While the main trends are identified, the lack of precision in data reporting prevents a higher score. The overview is present but could be more clearly integrated to highlight the most significant shifts, such as the cruise ship category overtaking the island visitors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs focusing on specific categories. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Overall,' 'Although,' and 'In 2010,' which help guide the reader. However, there is some repetitive use of sentence structures and occasional awkward transitions, such as 'and and' or 'and and reached.' The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the mechanical nature of some linking phrases limits the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different data sets, which aids readability.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with attempts to use descriptive terms like 'fluctuated,' 'substantial rise,' and 'remained constant.' However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'Caribbean sea' (referring to the island), 'people on staying on island,' and 'inclined to' (when 'increased' or 'rose' would be more appropriate). These errors do not impede communication, but they demonstrate a limited range and some lack of precision in academic register. To improve, focus on more accurate collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The total number of people... were 1 million') and article usage (e.g., 'staying on cruise ship'). Additionally, there are several instances of repeated words or typos, such as 'and and' and 'at the end of period' (missing 'the'). While the meaning remains clear, the frequency of these errors is noticeable. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring better control over basic grammar would significantly improve the score.
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