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 data presents the number of visitors visiting a specific Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, millions of visitors have visited the Caribbean island in past 7 years. Total number of tourists goes on increasing while some fluctuation was seen in visitors staying on cruise ships and the visitors staying on island but it manages to rise.

The total number of tourists visiting a Caribbean island kept on growing from one million then remains constant but manages to grow and reached 3.5 million in 2017. Visitors staying on cruise ships keep fluctuating up to year 2013 then increases and reached 2 million. The visitors staying on island remains unchanged in first year then increases to 1.5 million in 2013, again stays steady for 3 years then decline still manage to reach 1.5 million in 2017. The total number of tourists visiting Caribbean island is highest and the visitors staying on cruise ships and visitors staying on island is almost at same range

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the graph, including the overall trend and the specific categories (cruise ship vs. island visitors). However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the growth, the description of the data is occasionally imprecise, such as stating the total number 'remains constant' when the graph shows a clear upward trajectory. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited more accurately and that comparisons between the two categories are more clearly defined. The overview is present but lacks sufficient detail to fully capture the trends shown in the graph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. While there is a logical progression, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'remains constant', 'increases', 'stays steady'). Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the overview and the body could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the lack of varied linking words makes the flow feel a bit stilted. Improving the range of transition signals would help the ideas connect more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You rely heavily on simple verbs like 'increase', 'reach', and 'stay'. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise vocabulary related to data trends (e.g., 'fluctuate', 'plateau', 'climb', 'decline'). While the meaning is clear and there are no major spelling errors, the lack of variety in word choice limits the score. Incorporating more academic collocations would significantly enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and tense consistency (e.g., 'visitors... remains unchanged', 'total number... goes on increasing'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences that lack proper commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on consistent verb tenses and more accurate sentence construction will improve your accuracy.

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

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