Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-24
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 visitors who are visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, the total number of visitors visiting the Caribbean island a upward trend over the seven years period. while visitors staying on island originally outnumbered those on cruise ships, the latter saw rapid growth and surpassed the island based tourists by the end of the timeline.
In 2010, the number of total tourists were 1 million and exceeding throughout the period and reached to 2.7 million in 2016. The rate resurgence and significantly touched the 3.5 millions in 2017. The number of visitors who were staying on island were about 0.7 in 2010, however were increasing over the period reached at above the 1 million and slightly touched the 1.5 million in 2017.
In 2010, the number of people who were sating on cruise ships were very less at the referencing point just below the 0.5 millions. In 2017, after fluctuation touched the point of significantly 2 millions.
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
You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview of the data. You correctly highlighted the upward trajectory of both visitor types and noted the significant crossover point where cruise ship visitors surpassed island-based tourists. However, the report lacks precision in data reporting. For instance, stating the total reached '3.5 millions' in 2017 is imprecise, and phrases like 'the rate resurgence' are unclear. To improve, ensure that all data points are accurately transcribed from the graph and that comparisons are more explicitly linked to the specific years provided. While the main features are covered, the lack of clarity in some figures prevents a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'In 2010' and 'In 2017' to structure the information chronologically. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of linking words is limited. For example, the transition between the overview and the first body paragraph is abrupt. To improve, try using a wider variety of cohesive devices (e.g., 'consequently', 'in contrast', 'furthermore') to connect your ideas more fluidly. Additionally, ensure that referencing is clear; at times, it is slightly ambiguous which group of tourists you are referring to.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the main trends. You use terms like 'surpassed', 'fluctuation', and 'outnumbered' appropriately. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'the rate resurgence' and 'sating on cruise ships' (likely a typo for 'staying'). Additionally, the phrasing 'very less' is grammatically incorrect; 'significantly lower' or 'far fewer' would be more appropriate. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that your collocations are natural and accurate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the number of total tourists were') and incorrect prepositional usage ('reached at above'). There are also issues with article usage and pluralization, such as 'the seven years period' instead of 'the seven-year period'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit your score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article consistency will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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