Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-09
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)
This graph shows the number of tourists who visited a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. We can clearly see that the number of tourists increases consistently from 2010 to 2017.
In 2010, around 0.25 million people stayed on cruise ships while 0.75 million people stayed on island. The number of visitors staying on island is more than double of number of visitors staying on cruise ships.
In 2011, number of visitors staying on cruise ships increases up to 0.5 million people while number of visitors staying on island remain that is 0.75 million.
The number of visitors staying on cruise ships remains more than visitors on island till 2015. After 2015, number of visitors staying on island decreases and become less than number of visitors staying on cruise ships. While number of visitors staying on cruise ships increases with sequence through out the whole journey and reached at 2 million in 2017.
To sum up, total number of visitors reached at highest value in 2017 and lowest value in the beginning(2010).
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, identifying the overall upward trend and the key crossover point between cruise ship and island visitors. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. The description of the data is occasionally inaccurate; for instance, stating that the number of visitors staying on the island 'remains' at 0.75 million in 2011 is not supported by the visual data, and the claim that cruise ship visitors remained higher until 2015 is also factually inconsistent with the provided graph. To reach a higher band, you must ensure that your data points are precise and that your comparisons accurately reflect the trends shown in the visual aid.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the report. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'the number of visitors' are used repeatedly at the start of sentences, which limits the flow. Additionally, some transitions between ideas are abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the vague use of 'that' in the third paragraph. Improving the variety of linking words and using pronouns or synonyms to avoid repetitive sentence structures would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely heavily on basic terms like 'number of', 'increases', and 'stays'. While these words are accurate, they do not demonstrate a wide range of lexical items. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'increases with sequence' and 'reached at', which are not natural in English. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'peaked', 'surpassed', or 'gradual growth', and ensure you use prepositions correctly with verbs like 'reach'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'stayed on island' instead of 'stayed on the island'), subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'number of visitors... increases'), and incorrect prepositional usage (e.g., 'reached at'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering the use of articles and ensuring that your verb tenses remain consistent when describing past data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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