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 provided line graph illustrates the number of visitors who visited a particular Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017, measured in millions.
Overall, visitors staying on the cruise ships showed the small fluctuation in the beginning. It then rose significantly over the period of time. In contrast, visitors staying on island was the most stable in the middle of the year. Total visitors witnessed the dramatic increase across the given period of time.
Visitors staying on cruise ships recorded highest increase in 2011. The figure stood at about 0.5 million. It then fell to less than 0.5 million which is similar with initial year 2010. The figure continued to rise. It reached around 2 million in 2017. This the second lowest figure on the chart. Visitors staying on island was more stable in the middle of the year. Its figure stood at about 1.5 million from 2013 to 2015 then after it experienced a fall in the next year then reached in the same number in 2017 which was the lowest figure in this chart.
Total started at about 1 million in 2010. It then rose to 3.5 in 2017 while it witnessed a fluctuation in 2016. It was the highest trend in this chart.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have successfully identified the main trends and provided a clear overview. You covered the three categories (cruise ship visitors, island visitors, and total visitors) and made relevant comparisons. However, there are some inaccuracies in your data reporting. For instance, you state that cruise ship visitors reached 2 million in 2017, but you also label this as the 'second lowest figure,' which is confusing and contradicts the visual data. Additionally, describing the island visitors as being 'more stable in the middle of the year' is vague; it would be more precise to refer to the specific time period (2013–2015). To improve, ensure that your data points are accurately transcribed and that your descriptions of trends are logically consistent with the figures provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs focusing on specific categories. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'In contrast' and 'It then rose,' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by mechanical phrasing, such as 'This the second lowest figure' (missing a verb) and 'then after it experienced a fall.' The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to track which data point you are discussing. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would help elevate your score in this criterion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuation,' 'dramatic increase,' and 'witnessed.' However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation. For example, 'showed the small fluctuation' is unnatural; 'showed a slight fluctuation' would be better. You also use 'the highest trend,' which is not a standard collocation for describing graph data. There are also some repetitive structures. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'peaked,' 'remained constant,' or 'experienced a marginal decline,' and ensure articles (a/the) are used correctly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the fluency of the text. Common issues include missing articles ('in 2010' is fine, but 'in the beginning' is better), missing verbs ('This the second lowest'), and awkward phrasing ('similar with initial year'). There are also errors in tense consistency and preposition usage, such as 'reached in the same number.' To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Proofreading for small omissions like missing auxiliary verbs will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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