Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-25

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 5.0)

The graph compares the number of tourists visits the caribbean island from the year 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the graph shows the visitors of caribbean island in 7 years , most of the visitors liked to stay at cruise instead of staying at island.

Initially in the year 2010 more visitors prefered to stay at island , passing the year 2011 , in the year 2012 visitors shows the slight increase in the stay at island, which continues till the year 2015. Dramatic drop of visitors seen in the last two years. At the end it shows that more visitors like to stay at cruise not at island and enjoy . Total 3 million of visitors visit the island and cruise and prefer to stay. In the total of seven years. People more enjoys the stay at cruise .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified some main features, the analysis is superficial and lacks the necessary detail to fully describe the trends shown in the graph. You mention a 'dramatic drop' but do not provide specific data points or comparative figures to support your claims. Furthermore, the overview is somewhat vague and does not clearly highlight the key differences between the two categories (cruise vs. island stay) over the entire period. To improve, ensure you include specific data points (years and numbers) and provide a more comprehensive summary of the trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The transition between the overview and the body paragraph is abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical (e.g., 'Initially', 'At the end'). There is a lack of clear progression between ideas, making the text feel disjointed. Referencing is also inconsistent, which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two groups of tourists. Using a wider range of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear focus would greatly improve the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. You frequently use basic terms like 'visitors', 'stay', and 'like', which restricts your ability to describe the data with precision. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'visitors visits' (should be 'visitor numbers') and 'stay at cruise' (should be 'stay on cruise ships'). To reach a higher band, you need to incorporate a wider range of vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'remained stable', or 'surpassed'. Expanding your lexical range will allow you to describe the trends more accurately and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'visitors shows', 'people more enjoys'), incorrect preposition usage (e.g., 'stay at island' instead of 'on the island'), and awkward sentence structures. The range of grammatical structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. You should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, such as correct verb tenses and pluralisation, before attempting more complex structures. Proofreading for basic errors like missing articles ('the') and incorrect verb forms would be a beneficial first step.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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