Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-27

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 tracks the information about the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the trend follows a dramatical rise in no of visitors between these years, but the tourist stay on island is opposite to this. Furthermore, the attention of visitors toward cruise ships is increasing gradually.

Initially, in 2011 almost 1 million visitors visit the island, while this is continuously grow with the passing of each year up to 2017. In contrast, the visitors are staying on island remain steady since 2013 to 2015, whereas in 2016, it declined. Additionally, the visitors staying on cruise ships is fall for 1 year then, climb upward.

Finally, the graph shows the sharp increase in number of visitors around 3.5 million visiting on island after 2016, and the tourist attraction are also high regarding stay on island about 1.5 million in 2017. And 2 million visitors utilized cruise ships for amusement on island.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have successfully identified the main trends in the graph, such as the overall rise in visitor numbers and the distinction between island stays and cruise ship visits. However, the report lacks precision in data reporting. For instance, you mention 'almost 1 million' for 2011, but the graph shows a different starting point, and your description of the 2016-2017 period is somewhat vague. To reach a higher band, ensure you include specific data points (years and exact figures) to support your observations. While you have summarized the main features, the lack of accurate data referencing limits the development of your response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Overall', 'Furthermore', 'Initially', and 'In contrast' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions are slightly awkward, such as 'the tourist stay on island is opposite to this'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which category of visitor you are discussing. Improving the use of cohesive devices to create smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall logical progression of your report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'number of visitors' and 'staying on island'. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'dramatical rise' (should be 'dramatic rise') and 'is fall for 1 year' (should be 'fell for 1 year'). To improve, try to incorporate a wider range of synonyms and more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a sharp increase'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'the visitors are staying on island remain steady' and tense inconsistencies such as 'this is continuously grow'. Additionally, there are errors with articles and prepositions, such as 'on island' instead of 'on the island'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction and verb tenses.

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

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