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 travelled to a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, total visitors recorded the highest share of Caribbean island, while visitors who stayed island and this trend experienced fluctuation. Furthermore, visitors staying on cruise ships had the lowest share of Caribbean, whereas this trend dramatically rose at the end of the period.
To begin with, the highest proportion of total visitors was 1 million in 2010. However, it increased to 2.75 million visitors visiting the Caribbean. Furthermore, visitors staying on island share at 0.75 million visitors.
Turning to the next details, visitors staying on cruise ships started at 0.25 million visitors. This data slightly rose to 0.5 million visitors in 2011, then it decreased to 0.25 million in 2012. Visitors significantly increased to 2 million in 2017. Total visitors data increased to 3.5 million in 2017. Visitors saw a steady rise to 1.5 million in 2015. Then it slightly decreased to 1.25 million in 2016. Then again decreased to 1.5 million visitors.
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 identifies the main trends, such as the overall increase in visitor numbers and the growth in cruise ship passengers. However, the report suffers from significant inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, you state that total visitors reached 3.5 million in 2017, which is not supported by the provided graph. Additionally, the description of the 'visitors staying on island' category is confusing and lacks clarity regarding the specific figures. While you attempt to summarize the main features, the lack of precision in reporting the data points prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure that every figure mentioned is accurately extracted from the graph and that comparisons are clearly linked to the data.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression is often hindered by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing. For example, the transition 'Turning to the next details' is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is present but occasionally misused, such as the repetitive use of 'Furthermore' and 'Then'. The final paragraph is particularly disjointed, with sentences that do not flow logically from one to the next. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus will enhance the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'highest share' and 'lowest share' repeatedly. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'total visitors recorded the highest share of Caribbean island' and 'visitors staying on island share at 0.75 million'. These phrases are unnatural and impede clarity. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable', and ensure that your collocations are accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, 'visitors who stayed island' is grammatically incorrect, and 'Total visitors data increased to 3.5 million' lacks proper article usage. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency throughout the text. While the errors do not completely prevent communication, they are frequent enough to impact the overall quality of the writing. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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