Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-14
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)
In this Graph,the line graph illustrates the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017 divided into visitors staying on cruise ships and those staying on the island, along with the total number of visitors.
Overall, the total number of tourists increased considerably over the period and they rising from 1 million in 2010 to approximeetely 3.2 million in 2017 and Visitors staying on cruise ships showed the most significant growth, while the number of tourists staying on the island fluctuated slightly.
on the other hands, In 2010, around 0.7 million tourists stayed on the island, compared with only 0.2 million who stayed on cruise ships. The number staying on the island remained stable in 2011 before increasing to about 1.3 million in 2013. It then gradually declined, reaching roughly 1 million in 2016, before rising slightly to 1.2 million in 2017 In contrast.
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 student successfully identifies and reports the main features of the graph, outlining the overall trends for total visitors, cruise ship passengers, and those staying on the island between 2010 and 2017. Key data points are selected and comparisons are made, such as contrasting the starting figures in 2010. However, the response is incomplete in its final delivery, stopping abruptly mid-sentence with 'In contrast.' Furthermore, the length check indicates the response is 148 words, which falls just short of the 150-word minimum requirement. This minor under-length impacts the overall completeness of the task response. Consequently, the performance aligns well with a Band 6.0, as it addresses all parts of the task but remains slightly under-developed and fails to meet the word count.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into an introduction, an overview paragraph, and a body paragraph. Basic cohesive devices and referencing are used, such as 'Overall', 'In contrast', and 'It then gradually declined'. However, there are notable mechanical and organizational flaws. The transition 'on the other hands, In 2010' displays poor punctuation and capitalization. Additionally, the final sentence 'In contrast.' is left hanging without a completion or a proper clause. Paragraphing is attempted, but the abrupt ending disrupts the logical flow and progression. These issues prevent the response from achieving a higher band, placing it solidly at Band 5.5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing terms like 'fluctuated slightly', 'gradually declined', and 'significant growth'. There are, however, several lexical and spelling errors that detract from the quality, such as 'approximeetely' instead of 'approximately'. The phrase 'on the other hands' contains a grammatical slip in collocation. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general trends and communicate the information clearly, the presence of spelling mistakes and awkward phrasing limits the score to a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses like 'while the number of tourists staying on the island fluctuated slightly'. There are, nevertheless, several grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text. For instance, the opening sentence has a comma splice ('In this Graph,the line graph illustrates...'), and the second paragraph contains a run-on structure with a redundant conjunction ('and they rising from 1 million...'). Punctuation and capitalization are frequently mishandled, as seen with 'on the other hands, In 2010'. Because errors are recurrent and the sentence structure breaks down at the end, the response fits the Band 5.5 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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