Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-25
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 graph below represents the number of tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. There are also different numbers of visitors staying on cruise ships and on the island.
From the graph above, the number of visitors staying on cruise ships has risen sharply from 2010 to 2017. Also, the gradual changes in the number of visitors staying on the island can be observed. From 2011 to 2015, the number of people staying on the ship remained stable, whereas after 2015 it fluctuated. Similarly, while discussing the number of visitors who stayed on the island, it is lower than the number of those staying on the cruise from 2010 to 2012. Also, the number of people staying on the ship rose in 2017.
Therefore, from the graph above, we can see that the number of visitors staying on cruise ships is higher than the number of people staying on the islands.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to summarise the main features of the graph, noting the rise in cruise ship visitors and mentioning figures staying on the island. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies in the data reporting. For instance, the student states that the number of people staying on the ship 'remained stable' from 2011 to 2015, whereas the data shows it rose from 0.5 to 1.25 million over that period. Furthermore, the final conclusion incorrectly claims that cruise ship visitors are higher than island visitors overall, while the graph shows fluctuations and a total line that combines both. The overview is weak and fails to capture the main trends comprehensively. This places the response in the Band 5.0 range for Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response is divided into short paragraphs, but the logical progression and overall structure are weak. Cohesive devices are used repetitively, particularly starting multiple sentences with 'From the graph above' or 'Also'. Referencing is sometimes confusing, as when the student switches between discussing 'people staying on the ship' and 'those staying on the cruise' without clear distinction. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal flow within paragraphs lacks smooth transitions. Overall organisation is adequate for basic coherence, fitting the Band 5.0 descriptors.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, relying heavily on simple terms like 'number of visitors', 'people', and 'graph'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary such as 'gradual changes', 'fluctuated', and 'rose sharply', but these are occasionally misused or mismatched with the data (e.g., describing a clear upward trend as 'stable'). Word choice and collocation lack precision. The lexical range is minimally adequate for the task, corresponding to Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'while discussing the number of visitors who stayed on the island, it is lower than...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including dangling modifiers ('while discussing... it is lower than'). Punctuation is basic, and although meaning is mostly conveyed despite the errors, the frequency of grammatical slips places this response firmly at Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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