Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-18
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 lines graph illustrates the number of tourists who visited Caribbean Island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, there are three main categories, visitors who stayed on cruise ships, visitors who stayed on the Island and the accumulated figures. Considering, total numbers showed an upward trend from 2010 to 2015. Whereas, the figures of staying visitors remained unstable throughout the period. In contrast, the number of tourists who stayed on the cruise, increased from 2013 to 2017.
Initially, around 0.7 million visitors enjoyed the Island experience till 2011, after that, the proportion increased by 1.5 million & remained stable consistent for 3 years (2013, 2014 & 2015). After 2015 the figures dropped by 1 million and again ended up with 1.5 million. Subsequently, people who want to rest on the cruise are completely changed, starting from 0.2 million people in 2010, after coming back to 0 again back in 2012, the figures increased continuously till 2017 with around 2 million visitors.
In the end, the total number started with 1 million visitors in 2010 and ended up with 3.5 million in 2017 which showed the highest amount of the time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by reporting the main features and making relevant comparisons across the categories. The overview correctly highlights the three main categories and the upward trend of the total figures. Key features are selected, such as the peak of total visitors reaching 3.5 million in 2017 and the contrast between cruise ship visitors and island-staying visitors. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in reading the data, such as stating that island-staying visitors dropped by 1 million after 2015 when they actually dropped from 1.5 to 1.25 million. Despite these minor data-reading discrepancies, the overall response covers all parts of the prompt well and meets the requirements for Band 6.5, leaning towards 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression from an introductory statement and overview to specific body paragraphs detailing the categories. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different trends. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as "Overall", "Whereas", "In contrast", and "Initially". However, some referencing and transitions feel slightly mechanical or awkward, such as "Subsequently, people who want to rest on the cruise are completely changed", which creates a momentary disruption in the logical flow. Overall, the arrangement is coherent and easy to follow, supporting a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as "accumulated figures", "upward trend", and "proportion". There are, however, several lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as "The lines graph" instead of "line graph", "figures of staying visitors" instead of "visitors staying on the island", and "people who want to rest on the cruise" instead of "cruise ship visitors". Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice errors occasionally require the reader to interpret the intended meaning. This performance fits the Band 6.0 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses introduced by "whereas" and participial phrases. There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips throughout the text, such as comma splices ("Considering, total numbers showed..."), incorrect prepositions ("from 2010 to 2015. Whereas..."), and tense inconsistencies ("are completely changed"). While these errors are noticeable and require some effort to parse, they do not severely impede communication. The control of grammar aligns well with a Band 6.0 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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