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 graph illustrates the amount of tourists visiting a specific carribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, data demonstrates that the number of visitors staying on cruise ships are lowerin 2012 and increases up to 2 millions in 2017. On other hand, number of visitors staying on island is lower in 2017, accounted as 1.5 millions. Total number of tourists gradually increased in 2017 from 1 million to 3.5 million.
About 1% of visitors stayed on cruise ships in 2010. Morever, As the time pssed, about 0.5 million visitors stayed in cruise in 2011 which later decreased in 2012. After that number got increased with each passing yer and reached upto 2 millions in 2017. Many visitors stayed on island in 2017, higher than previous years. Exceptionlly, In 2016 only 1 million stayed on island. If we calculate the total number of tourists visited a Carribean islnd, as per graph they gradually increased with each passing year. Maximum 3.5 million people visited island in total in year 2017 which is the highest among the mentioned years.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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, identifying the trends for cruise ship and island visitors. However, the analysis is inconsistent and contains factual inaccuracies. For example, you state that the total number of tourists increased from 1 million to 3.5 million, but the data points in the graph do not support these specific figures. Additionally, the description of the trends is somewhat confusing, particularly the contradictory statements regarding the number of visitors in 2017. To improve, ensure that you carefully extract data points from the graph and present them accurately. The overview is present but lacks clarity due to these data errors.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by awkward transitions and unclear referencing. Phrases like 'On other hand' and 'Morever' are used, but the connection between sentences is often weak. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the comparison between the two categories of tourists. To improve, use a wider range of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus. The current structure is functional but lacks the sophistication required for a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several spelling errors, such as 'carribbean', 'pssed', 'yer', and 'islnd', which detract from the overall quality. You rely on basic verbs like 'increased' and 'stayed' repeatedly. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more varied vocabulary related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable', and pay closer attention to spelling accuracy. The current range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning but is limited in its ability to express complex trends.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles (e.g., 'staying on island'), subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'number of visitors... are lower'), and incorrect preposition usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization and comma placement. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy, such as article usage and subject-verb agreement, will significantly improve your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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