Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-01
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 line graph shows the number of tourists visiting a Caribbean island from the year [redacted phone]. There are three lines total visitors, visitors staying on cruise ship and visitors staying on island.
Overall, total number of visitors increased by the year 2017.
In 2010, total visitors were about 1 milloin. In 2012, it goes up to almost 1.4 million. After 2 years in 2014, the amount of people was 2.5 million. Number of tourists increased by every year. At the last year, it goes to 3.5 million visitors which was the highest proportion.
Visitors staying on the cruise ships has ups and down proportios in all the years. In 2010, it was just 0.2 million tourists stayed on cruise ships. In 2012, there was the same amount. In the ending years, 2016 and 2017 the proportion of visitors was almost 1.5 million and 2 million respectively.
Visitors staying on island goes higher by the years. It increased to 1.5 million in the year 2013. This was the same for all other years.
To sum up, more and more people visited the island and staying on the cruise ships became more popular than staying on the island in the end.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response attempts to cover the main features of the line graph, providing an overview at the beginning and a concluding summary. However, some parts of the task are addressed only partially or with inaccuracies. For example, the student states that the total number of visitors 'increased by every year', which overlooks the plateau between 2015 and 2016 at 2.75 million. Furthermore, the description of 'Visitors staying on island goes higher by the years. It increased to 1.5 million in the year 2013. This was the same for all other years' is an oversimplification and partially inaccurate, as the data shows fluctuations down to 1.25 million in 2016 before rising again in 2017. The ideas are somewhat limited and under-developed, lacking a fully thorough comparison of the three categories throughout the entire time period.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt at paragraphing, moving from an introductory overview to body paragraphs detailing the categories and a concluding summary. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In 2010', 'In 2012', and 'To sum up', which help to sequence the information chronologically. However, referencing and transitions are at times mechanical or slightly faulty, such as 'There are three lines total visitors...' which lacks proper grammatical linking. Progression is generally visible, but paragraph transitions and logical flow between sentences could be smoother to fully achieve a higher standard.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, providing a minimally adequate range for the task. There are noticeable errors in word choice, form, and spelling that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader or distract from the academic tone. Examples include spelling errors like 'milloin' instead of million, and awkward lexical phrasing such as 'ups and down proportios' instead of fluctuations or varying proportions. The student attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'proportion', but accuracy is inconsistent, and basic terms are repeated throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response relies on a limited range of sentence structures, primarily simple sentences and basic compound forms. When the student attempts more complex or extended structures, errors frequently occur. Examples of grammatical and tense inconsistencies include 'Visitors staying on the cruise ships has ups and down' (subject-verb agreement error), 'Visitors staying on island goes higher' (missing article and incorrect verb form), and 'staying on the cruise ships became more popular' (inconsistent verb phrasing in the conclusion). Frequent errors in verb forms, articles, and plurals persist throughout the text, though meaning remains generally retrievable.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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