Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-15
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 information of number of the visitors who visit the Caribbean island over the duration of seven years from 2010 to 2017. Unit is measured in millions.
Overall, it can be clearly seen that the total number of visitors increased significantly. The most popular activity among visitors staying in cruise ships in the beginning years as compared the most visitors staying on island at the end of the years.
According to the given line graph the total number of visitors of Caribbean island was approximately 1 million in 2010. between 2011 and 2017 the total number of visitors dramatically increased and reached approximately 3.5million in the last year.
It is apparently seen that below 0.5 million visitors staying in cruise ships in 2010 . That approximately 0.8 million tourists was staying on island in 2010. between 2011 and 2015 the numbers of visitors increased who was staying in cruise ships and reached approximately 1.2million. followed by the ratio increased who want to staying on island and reached approximately 1.5 million in 2015.
The most striking feature of the graph the last two years the ratio decreased of visitors who want to staying on island. As compared the visitors staying on island continued the upward trend.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You identify the overall rise in total visitors, from about 1 million in 2010 to 3.5 million in 2017, and include useful comparisons between the two accommodation groups. However, some key details are incomplete or inaccurate. The overview says cruise-ship visitors were the most popular “in the beginning years,” although island visitors were higher in 2010 and 2011; cruise numbers only became higher in 2017. You also say cruise visitors reached about 1.2 million in 2015, whereas the graph shows roughly 1.25 million, and the claim that island visitors continued an upward trend conflicts with their fall from 1.5 million in 2015 to 1.25 million in 2016. Select the main turning points and report them consistently.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, an overview and paragraphs describing the total and the two visitor groups. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear, and several linking phrases are awkward or repetitive, including “According to the given line graph” and “As compared.” The final paragraph is especially confusing: it first says island visitors decreased in the last two years, then says they “continued the upward trend.” Use a clearer sequence—overall total first, then compare the two groups—and connect each comparison directly to the relevant years. More precise referencing would also help readers understand which figures each statement describes.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “increased significantly,” “reached,” “decreased,” and “upward trend,” so the main subject is generally clear. However, the range is limited and some word combinations or forms are unnatural, such as “illustrates the information of number,” “the most popular activity,” and “the ratio increased.” “Activity” does not accurately describe where visitors stayed, while “ratio” is not the right term for the number of visitors. Repeated use of “visitors” and “increased” also makes the account less precise. Build a small set of accurate trend and comparison expressions, such as “the figure for cruise-ship visitors,” “rose steadily,” and “remained stable,” and use them in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the reader can usually identify the main trends. However, grammatical control is inconsistent, with frequent errors in sentence boundaries, verb forms, agreement and articles. For example, “between 2011 and 2017 the total number … dramatically increased” needs a capital letter after the preceding full stop, while “tourists was staying” has incorrect agreement and tense. The fragment “That approximately 0.8 million tourists was staying on island” also lacks a clear grammatical connection to the previous sentence. Articles and plurals are often missing or misplaced, as in “in cruise ships” and “3.5million.” Practise writing complete, controlled sentences with a clear subject and verb before adding more complex clauses.
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