Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-16
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 5.0)
The line graph illustrates information about numbers of people visiting a Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, the total number of tourists visiting the Caribbean increased the most throughout the period. The number of people staying on cruise ships increased the most. At the end of the period the rate of both people staying on ships and on island was the same.
In 2010 approximately one million of tourists visited an island, around 750,000 stayed on the island and 250,000 stayed on the ships. The total figure then rose slightly and in 2011 round about 1.25 million people visited the Caribbean, while the number of people stayed on island remained same but the people who lived on ships increased by 250,000 and stood at 500,000 visitors. In 2012 the ratio of visitors climbed and reached to 1.5 millions, the number of tourists stayed on the island increase sharply and reach at 1250,000, whereas the number of people who stayed in ships fall and stood at 250,000.
In 2013 the number of people who stayed on the island reached to 1.5 million and remained same until 2015, while tourists who stayed on ships started increased and reached to 500,000 and at the end of 2015 it became 1.25 millions. At the end of the period both groups accounted for the same number of visitors.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student attempts to address the prompt by reporting figures and trends for visitors to a Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. However, the overview is somewhat repetitive and confusing, stating that 'the total number of tourists... increased the most' and immediately repeating that 'The number of people staying on cruise ships increased the most.' Furthermore, the final statement in the overview contains an inaccuracy regarding the data at the end of the period, as visitors staying on cruise ships reached 2 million while those staying on the island reached 1.5 million—meaning they were not actually the same, despite the student later writing in the body that both groups accounted for the same number. Key trends are captured, but the overall task response suffers from minor data misinterpretations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response is structured into chronological paragraphs, providing a basic framework for the information. However, coherence is hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions such as 'In 2010... The total figure then rose slightly and in 2011...' Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping of years is slightly uneven. Referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'the ratio of visitors climbed', where 'ratio' is misused for 'number'. While there is an overall progression from 2010 through 2013 and beyond, the logical flow between sentences is frequently disrupted by grammatical slips and awkward cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing basic data trends, such as 'rose slightly', 'increase sharply', and 'remain same'. However, there are numerous lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'numbers of people visiting' instead of 'the number of visitors', 'rate of both people' instead of 'number', and 'lived on ships' instead of 'stayed on cruise ships'. Less common lexical items are attempted, but they are often marred by improper word choice or form, such as 'ratio of visitors' and 'tourists stayed on the island increase sharply'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but grammatical accuracy is weak throughout. There are frequent errors in verb tense and agreement, including 'the number of people stayed on island remained same' (missing articles and incorrect verb form), 'tourists who stayed on ships started increased' (incorrect infinitive/gerund form), and 'reached to 1.5 millions' (superfluous 'to' with reach, incorrect pluralisation). Punctuation and article usage are also inconsistent. These errors occasionally cause slight difficulty for the reader, though the overall meaning remains largely understandable.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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