Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The graph illustrates population of tourists visiting Caribbean island in the year 2010 to 2017.
Overall, the total number of visitors increased considerably over the period. Visitors staying on cruise ships increased rapidly till 2017, whereas tourists staying on island rose up until 2015 and remained fluctuated ahead.
In 2010, total 1 million tourists visited the island, which rises up to 2.5 million visitors and remained fluctuated till 2016 and ends up with 3.5 million people in the year 2017.
In contrast, tourist living on island increased timely but remained fluctuated till 2017, starting with 0.75 million to 1.5 million respectively. Moreover, there are higher number of people living on cruise ships as compare to visitors staying on island in 2017. The number of cruise ship visitors increased from 0.25 million in 2010 to 2 million in 2017. In comparison, visitors staying on island reached around 1.5 million in 2017.
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, identifying the overall upward trend and the two categories of visitors. However, the reporting of data is occasionally inaccurate or confusing. For instance, the statement that total visitors 'remained fluctuated' is vague and contradicts the data points provided. Additionally, the description of the island visitors as 'living on island' is imprecise, as the graph refers to tourists. While the key features are highlighted, the analysis lacks precision in describing the specific trends (e.g., the cruise ship growth vs. island stay growth), which prevents a higher score. The summary is functional but lacks the analytical depth required for higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and supporting body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'In comparison' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'remained fluctuated ahead' and 'increased timely'. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within the second body paragraph feels slightly repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed data analysis, which helps the reader follow the structure of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a reliance on basic verbs like 'increased' and 'remained'. Phrases such as 'remained fluctuated' are non-standard and indicate a limited grasp of collocation. The student attempts to use specific terms like 'cruise ships', but the phrasing 'tourist living on island' is unnatural in the context of tourism statistics. To improve, the student should focus on using a wider range of synonyms for growth and fluctuation, and ensure that word choices are contextually appropriate for academic report writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'illustrates population of tourists' (missing article), 'remained fluctuated' (incorrect verb usage), and 'as compare to' (should be 'compared to'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. The student needs to focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading to eliminate these recurring errors and improve the overall accuracy of their writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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