Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-26
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 given line graph illustrates the information regarding the numbers of visitors visiting a Caribbean island from the year of 2010 to 2017.
Overall, it can be observed that vast numbers of tourists visits Caribbean island however few from them stayed at cruise ships and another on island.
In detail, about 1 million visitors visits Caribbean island in 2010 which stepped up in next two years to 1.5 million. However, tourists then escalated continuously till 2015 as around 2.7 million people visited island which showed the gradual increased in last five years. In the year of 2016 the number of visitors remained similar to the last year but after it rocketed to 3.5 million in 2017.
Furthermore, visitors staying on island were about 0.7 million which were similar after one year in 2011 after it stepped up to 1.5 million of tourists who stayed their from 2013 to 2015. In 2016 it reduced to 1.3 million and then shot up again in last mentioned year. Moreover visitors staying on cruise ships were very limited as it was approximately 0.3 million in 2010 and exactly 0.5 million after 1 year then again it decreased to 0.3 in next year whereas, in 2014,1 million visitors had their interest to live in ships which showed gradual inclined in next three years and stood at 2 million of visitors staying in cruise ships.
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 data to support your points. You covered both the total visitor numbers and the breakdown between island stayers and cruise ship passengers. However, the response lacks a clear overview of the most significant trends. While you mention that numbers 'escalated', a more precise summary would highlight the overall upward trajectory and the contrast between the two categories of visitors. Some data points are slightly confusing, such as the description of the cruise ship figures, which could be presented more clearly to ensure the reader can easily follow the comparison between the two groups.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'In detail', and 'Furthermore' to transition between ideas. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'after it stepped up'). The logical progression is generally present, but the connection between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to the intended subjects to avoid ambiguity.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey the main features of the graph, using terms like 'escalated', 'remained similar', and 'rocketed'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'visitors visits' (should be 'visitors visited') and 'stayed their' (should be 'stayed there'). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'had their interest to live in ships'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and ensuring correct word forms are used consistently throughout the report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good for this task. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'tourists visits', 'visitors visits') and tense consistency. There are also issues with prepositions and articles, such as 'in next two years' (should be 'in the next two years'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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