Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-07
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 below illustrate the total ratio of travellers exploring a common Caribbean island around the years of 2010 and 2017.
further i explain how many visitors stay on cruise ships and those who stayed on island and the total number of travellers.
Overall, initially the the visitors staying on cruise ship increase and next year the ratio decreases and then again start increasing. While the ratio of visitors staying on the island fluctuated during the whole time period. Moreover the total amount of the individuals visiting the island rises up through the whole time period.
Moreover the amount of visitors who used to stay on the cruise ship are null in 2010 and it reaches to 2 million explorers in 2017 on the end of the period. And those who used to stay on the the island are about 1 million initially and on the end of the time period it reaches to almost 1.5 million visitors staying there. Lastly the total amount of individuals visiting the Caribbean island started from 1 million in 2010 and ends up by reaching 3.5 million in 2017 continuously increasing throughout the period.
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 visitors, island stayers, and the total number of tourists. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. For instance, the statement that cruise ship visitors were 'null' in 2010 is inaccurate based on typical graph interpretation, and the description of trends lacks precision regarding the specific years of fluctuation. While the overview identifies the main trends, it could be more effectively developed by highlighting the specific points of intersection or the most significant growth periods. The response addresses the requirements of the task but lacks the analytical depth expected for a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the information. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the frequent use of 'Moreover' and 'And' at the start of sentences makes the flow feel disjointed. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the transition between the overview and the body paragraphs. While there is an overall logical progression, the lack of varied linking words and the somewhat simplistic structure of the sentences limit the effectiveness of the cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is a reliance on basic terms like 'amount', 'ratio', and 'explorers', which are sometimes used incorrectly (e.g., 'ratio' is used where 'number' would be more appropriate). There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'on the end of the period'. To improve, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to data description, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', or 'remained stable', and ensure that nouns like 'number' and 'amount' are used correctly in context.
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 impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The graph below illustrate'), incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'start increasing'), and missing articles (e.g., 'stay on island'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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