Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-11
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 graph describes how much people visit a specific Caribbean island during the period of 2010 to 2017.
Overall, the graph having three trends showing visitor staying on cruise ships, visitor staying on island and total visitors respectively and the visitors are counted in millions. visitors staying on cruise ships significantly increased over time and was maximum in last mentioned year and also a big increase in total visitor has been showed over time.
Firstly visitors staying in cruise ships was at around half of 0.5 million .Butt these visitors showed a significant fluctuation since 2013 from 2010 after this they has been increased rapidly and reached at 2 million in 2017 and the visitors staying on island was between 0.5 and 1 million persons they started growing number of persons in 2011 and reached at 1.5 in 2013 and remained same for two more years and then fluctuated.
Lastly total visitors shows rapid increase they was at 1 million on 2010 after increasing significantly they reached at very high numbers that are 3.5 million in 2017.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the graph, including the three categories and the overall upward trend. However, the analysis is somewhat superficial. While you identify the start and end points, the description of the trends is occasionally inaccurate or confusing, such as the claim that visitors staying on the island 'remained same for two more years' without specifying the years. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are cited more precisely and that the comparison between the three categories is more clearly articulated. The overview is present but lacks sufficient detail regarding the relative performance of the categories.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes awkward, such as 'Butt these visitors' and 'Lastly total visitors'. The transition between sentences is often abrupt, and the logical progression of ideas is hindered by repetitive phrasing. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track which category is being discussed at certain points. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the flow 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 on basic verbs like 'increased', 'growing', and 'reached' repeatedly. There are also some noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'how much people visit' instead of 'the number of visitors' and 'last mentioned year' instead of 'the final year'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and the presence of errors in word formation limit the score. Expanding your range of synonyms for describing trends would be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('total visitors shows', 'they was at'), incorrect verb tenses ('has been increased'), and punctuation errors. The sentence structure is often repetitive, and the lack of articles (e.g., 'staying on island') makes the writing feel unnatural. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as well as ensuring that your verb tenses are consistent when describing past data.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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