Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-08
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 line chart illustrates the trend of tourists visits at Caribbean island between year 2010 to 2017.
Overall, the number of visitors has increased but the number of visitors who stay on island faced decreased.
In the year 2010, total number of visitors was 1 million in which 0.7 million visitors stayed on cruise ships other 0.3 million visitors stayed on island. The number of visitors staying on island were remain stable in year 2011 but number of visitors staying on cruise ships increased to 0.5 million which turn total number of visitor to 1.3 million in that year. In the year 2012 number of visitors staying on island increased but number of visitors staying on cruise ships decreased. From year 2013 to 2015 number of visitors staying on island remain same at 1.5 million but the number of visitors staying on cruise ships increased to 1.3 million from 0.5 million. After year 2015 the number of visitor staying on island decreased to 1.3 million but the number of visitors staying on cruise ships continued to increased till 2017. Number of total visitors between 2015 and 2016 remain same at 2.7 million.
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
You have successfully identified the main trends and provided relevant data points to support your summary. You covered both categories (cruise ship and island stay) and the total visitor numbers. However, the report lacks a clear, analytical overview of the most significant changes. For instance, while you mention the increase in cruise visitors, you could have highlighted the contrast between the steady growth of cruise tourism versus the fluctuating nature of island-stay tourism. Additionally, some data points are slightly inaccurate or confusingly phrased, such as the claim that island stays remained stable in 2011 when the graph shows a slight decline. To reach a higher band, ensure your data selection is precise and your overview synthesizes the information rather than just listing it.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the body. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures and lack a variety of linking words to connect your points smoothly. For example, the transition between sentences often feels abrupt, and the use of 'In the year' at the start of multiple sentences makes the flow feel stilted. Improving the use of referencing (e.g., 'the former', 'the latter') and varied transition signals would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the trends clearly. You use appropriate terms like 'increased', 'decreased', and 'stable'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'number of visitors who stay on island faced decreased' and 'turn total number of visitor to'. These errors in collocation and word form slightly hinder the precision of your report. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms for 'increase' and 'decrease' (e.g., 'surged', 'plummeted', 'fluctuated') and focus on using more natural collocations when describing statistical data.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'on island' instead of 'on the island'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'were remain stable', 'continued to increased'), and subject-verb agreement issues. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the overall score. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic article usage and ensuring that your verb tenses are consistent and correctly formed. Incorporating more complex sentence structures with greater accuracy would also help you move into a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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