Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-11

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 graph illustrates the number of visitors visited a particularC island between 2010 and 2017. It compares the total number of island and those who stayed on cruise ship.

Overall, it can be seen that the total amount of tourist visited highest over the year then it increased particularly. After that visitors staying the island up an down over the period, and last time it decreased. The number of cruise ship visitors grew very first.

I n 2010, the total number of visitors was 1 million.this figure rose significantly about 1.5 million in 2012. While the number of total tourist increase notably to around 2.7 million in 2015. It was same label grew up 2.7 million in 2016. Whereas it was surged to around 3.5 million in 2017.

For those staying on the island the number started at 0.7 million in. After that it do not change much and stayed at 1.5 million until the end.

For this staying the cruise ship started at 0.3 million in 2010. After that it rose around 0.5 million in 2011. 2012 this number down around 0.3 Million and then it increased quickly by 2017. It reached 2 million. Which higher than the number of people staying on island.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall rise in total visitors and note that cruise-ship numbers grew, and you include several relevant figures, such as the total reaching about 3.5 million in 2017. However, the overview is unclear and partly inaccurate: the total did not simply rise “particularly” after reaching a highest point, and island-staying visitors did not decrease at the end; they finished at about 1.5 million after a small dip in 2016. The account of island visitors also says they stayed at 1.5 million “until the end,” overlooking the earlier rise from 0.75 million and the 2016 dip. To make the summary more complete, state the main contrast clearly: cruise-ship visitors rose sharply and overtook island-staying visitors in 2017, while the latter levelled off.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and separate paragraphs for the total and the two visitor groups. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression is weakened by unclear or inaccurate linking, including “After that,” “Whereas,” and the fragment “Which higher than the number…”. Some references are also difficult to follow: “It was same label” does not clearly identify the total, and “For this staying the cruise ship” makes the subject unclear. The overview repeats broad trends without setting out a clear comparison, while the body moves between figures in a somewhat mechanical way. Use one paragraph for the overview and group related comparisons logically, with clear subjects such as “the total” and “cruise-ship visitors.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant task vocabulary, including “total number,” “visitors,” “rose,” and “reached,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, sometimes making the meaning difficult to interpret. For example, “visitors visited” is repetitive, “grew very first” does not express the intended rapid increase, and “the total amount of tourist visited highest” is unclear. “Same label” is also not an appropriate way to refer to a data series. Aim for precise, conventional language for describing charts, such as “the total number of visitors,” “increased sharply,” and “remained stable.” Check word forms and spelling, including “tourists” and “particularly,” before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer structures, for example “While the number of total tourist increase notably to around 2.7 million in 2015,” but these attempts are often faulty. Errors in tense and verb form occur throughout: “the number … increase,” “it do not change,” and “it was surged.” There are also problems with articles, sentence boundaries and incomplete clauses, as in “started at 0.7 million in” and “Which higher than the number…”. These errors sometimes make relationships between ideas hard to understand. Most sentences rely on simple patterns, with limited accurate control of complex forms. Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and use the past simple consistently for the historical data: for example, “The figure rose” and “It remained stable.”

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