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 graph illustrates the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. This graph contains eight years of information. Overall, visitors who were staying on cruise ships were in small numbers, whereas visitors who were staying on the island were more numerous, and the total number of visitors was high overall.
The visitors staying on the cruise ships were approximately, 0.3 million of visitors nevertheless, it fluctuated by period and reached 2 million visitors.
Visitors staying on the Island, begins with almost 0.7 million visitors, then in the middle of the period it rose to 1.5 million visitors and declined toward the end of the period in 2016, but maintained their visitors and reached 1.5 million again in 2017.
The total proportion of visitors starts at 1 million and their ratio climbs at each year and considerably stood at 3.5 million.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you have identified the main trends, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For example, the statement that cruise ship visitors 'fluctuated by period and reached 2 million' is imprecise, and the description of the total visitors as a 'proportion' is mathematically incorrect—it is a total number, not a ratio. You have covered the main features, but the lack of detail and the failure to meet the length requirement prevent a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, the transition 'nevertheless' is used incorrectly in the second paragraph, as it does not logically contrast with the preceding clause. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the third paragraph where 'maintained their visitors' is vague. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic descriptors like 'high' and 'small numbers'. There are also issues with word choice, such as using 'ratio' when referring to a total count, and 'by period' which sounds unnatural in this context. To improve, focus on using more precise terminology for describing trends, such as 'peaked', 'remained stable', or 'experienced a marginal increase'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('Visitors... begins', 'ratio climbs at each year') and awkward phrasing ('considerably stood at'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly the unnecessary comma after 'approximately'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors limits the score to a 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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