Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-02

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 illustrates the numbers of visitors to a particular Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017.

Overall, the line of the total visitors reached a peak in 2017. The highest number of travellers had been stayed on cruise ships in 2017 while the lowest number was in 2010 and 2012. On the other hand, the largest proportion of the visitors stayed in the island from 2013 to 2015 and 2017 to spend their holidays. The following group reached a low in 2010 and 2011.

In regards of total travellers, the number started at 1 million in 2010 which increased steadily over the next years and hit the highest number in 2017, 3.5 millions.

On the other hand, the sightseers who remained on the cruise ships were 0.25 million in 2010 and the figure fluctuated till 2013. Since 2013, the amount grown marginally and reached 2 million in 2017. Moreover, the group which resided in the island, they were 0.75 million in 2010 and finally rose to 1.5 million in 2017 after the fluctuation over the years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by presenting an overview and reporting the main features of the graph, such as the peak in total visitors in 2017 and the trajectories of the two visitor categories. However, some ideas are under-developed or inadequately supported. For instance, the overview contains confusing comparisons regarding the highest and lowest numbers across categories, and the specific data points mentioned in the body paragraphs lack full extension. Although the key trends are identified, the lack of precise synthesis and some vague reporting prevent the response from achieving a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text presents a coherent overall arrangement and is divided into an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs, showing a clear attempt at paragraphing. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. Expressions like 'On the other hand' are misused to introduce additive or contrastive points where they do not logically fit, and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'The following group reached a low'. While the logical progression is generally understandable, the mechanical use of cohesive devices and awkward transitions pull the score down to this level.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'proportion', 'fluctuated', and 'marginally'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors that reflect limited precision, such as 'numbers of visitors', 'had been stayed', and 'amount grown'. Additionally, minor inaccuracies appear in phrasing, though these do not seriously impede communication. To improve further, the writer needs to demonstrate more control over word forms and collocations when discussing data trends.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures such as time clauses and relative clauses. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including tense misuses like 'had been stayed' and awkward subject-reference structures such as 'moreover, the group which resided in the island, they were 0.75 million'. Despite these errors, the sentence structures are sufficiently varied, and the mistakes rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the intended meaning without undue difficulty.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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