Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-24
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 given line graph illustrates the number of explores visiting a specific Caribean island between 2010 and 2017.
Overall, it can be seen that number of total visitors increased significantly throughout the period. While the number of tourist staying on cruise ships considerably increased, however, visitors staying on island recorded fluctuation over the period.
To begin with, total 1 million people came to explore the island before slightly increased to 1.5 millions in 2012 and reaching approximately 2.7 millions in 2016 while this figure jumps 3.5 millions in 2017. Tourists staying on cruise ships noticed fluctuation from 2010 to 2013 before rising slightly to 2 millions in 2012.
Turning to the remaining data, visitors staying on island recorded fluctuation throughout the period.The figure approximately 3 lack remained same till 2011 before slightly increasing to 1.5 millions in 2013. However, this figure stabalize to 2015 and then fell down to nearly 1 millions in 2016 before rising to 1.5 in 2017
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student covers all parts of the task by reporting the main trends and making comparisons between visitors staying on cruise ships, visitors staying on the island, and the total figures. However, there are some noticeable inaccuracies and confusion in reporting the data. For example, the student states that total visitors reached approximately 2.7 millions in 2016 while this figure jumps 3.5 millions in 2017, and mentions that cruise ship visitors rose slightly to 2 millions in 2012, which contradicts the actual graph data where cruise visitors were 0.5 million in 2013 and did not reach 2 million until 2017. Despite these data misreadings, an overview is provided and key features are identified, aligning best with a Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is arranged coherently with a clear overall structure, including a brief introduction and paragraph divisions for body data. However, cohesive devices are sometimes faulty, mechanical, or awkwardly applied, such as the transition 'While the number of tourist staying on cruise ships considerably increased, however, visitors staying on island recorded fluctuation'. Furthermore, paragraphing is slightly disjointed, and referencing or linking between sentences can be confusing. Overall cohesion is adequate for a Band 6, but lacks the flexibility and smooth progression required for a higher band.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'fluctuation' and 'considerably'. However, there are multiple word choice, spelling, and phrasing errors, including 'explores' instead of 'explorers' or 'tourists', 'Caribean' instead of 'Caribbean', 'tourist' instead of 'tourists', and the unusual use of '3 lack' (an Indian English term for lakhs) which causes confusion. These errors demonstrate an insufficient control of less common vocabulary and spelling, placing this response securely at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as subordinate clauses beginning with 'While' and 'To begin with'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('it can be seen that number of total visitors'), missing articles ('before slightly increased'), incorrect preposition use, and confusing verb forms ('this figure stabalize to 2015'). These errors sometimes impede communication and reduce the precision of the descriptions, pointing clearly to a Band 5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.