Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-31
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 number of tourists visiting an Island of Caribbean from 2010 to 2017.
In 2010, the number of visitors staying on cruise ships and on island were around 0.3million and 0.8million respectively. The number of tourists staying on island remain stable until 2011 whereas, number of masses on cruise ships reduced for one year after 2011 to 2012. However, numeral of traveler increased sharply throughout the period and reaching almost 2 million in the end of the period. Likewise, visitors staying on island reached to 1.5million in 2017.
Total visitors visiting a Caribbean island was 1million in 2010 and soared up sharply throughout the period till 2015. moreover, the number of travelers visits island from the year 2015 to 2016 were stabilized after it shot up to 3.5 million after 1 year.
Overall, it is evident from the graph that number of tourists staying on cruise ships were higher than the people staying on island.
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, including the trends for cruise ship and island visitors. However, there are significant inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, you mention that total visitors reached 3.5 million, which is not supported by the typical scale of such graphs, and the summary of the overall trend is slightly confusing. While you identify the main features, the lack of precision in data interpretation and the contradictory concluding statement (stating cruise ship visitors were higher, which contradicts the data provided in the body) prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure that your summary accurately reflects the data points and that your overview is consistent with the figures presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is present but occasionally mechanical or misused, such as the transition 'moreover' which does not effectively link the preceding sentence to the new information. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to track which group of tourists is being discussed. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus will help improve the flow and logical progression of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'soared', 'sharply', and 'stabilized'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choices and non-standard collocations, such as 'number of masses', 'numeral of traveler', and 'staying on island' (missing an article). These errors occasionally make the text sound unnatural. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology for data description and ensure you are using articles correctly with nouns. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' will also help you avoid repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'number of tourists... were') and article usage (e.g., 'on island' instead of 'on the island'). Some sentences are also poorly constructed, such as 'the number of travelers visits island', which lacks proper tense and prepositional support. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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