Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-16

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 rendered line graph reprents the number of visitors exploring a specific caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Fundamentally, it can be vividly seen that the total tourists had drmatically increased throughout the period. Initially the total visitors were recorded for 1 million in 2010 before reaching at 1.5 million in 2012, till 2014 the total tourists were accounted for 2.5 million after that between 2015 and 2016 explorers stuck at 2.7 million, but in final year a considerable rose was noticed and constitited for 3.5 million.

On the other hand, visitors staying on island and on cruise ship had demonstrated fluctuating trend over the period. in the begining visitors on cruise and on island were reprsented for approximately 0.5 million and .5 million respectively. After that, in 2011 an opposite trend was noticed as a result visitors on the island reached at 1.5 million in 2015 and in 2016 surpassing tourists on the cruise ships and touch its highest point.

Overall, total tourists and visitors staying on the cruise sips had increased significantly throughout the period, whereas visitors staying on island showed fluctuating pattern.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main overall rise in total visitors and note that cruise-ship numbers increased, which are relevant features. However, several details are inaccurate or unclear: the island figure was about 0.75 million in 2010, not 0.5 million, and it reached about 1.5 million by 2013, not 2015. The account of an “opposite trend” in 2011 is also unsupported by the data, and the description of the island series as fluctuating overlooks its broadly stable level after 2013. Your overview is present, but it does not clearly compare the two visitor categories or explain that cruise visitors eventually became the larger group. Select the key turning points and report them accurately to make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph on total visitors, a paragraph on the two categories, and a concluding overview. This gives the reader a basic route through the information. However, progression within the category paragraph is difficult to follow: “After that, in 2011 an opposite trend was noticed” does not clearly connect to the figures that follow, and the sentence about 2015 and 2016 combines several ideas without clear relationships. Linking phrases such as “On the other hand” and “Overall” help, but some transitions feel mechanical or do not accurately signal a contrast. Organise the figures in chronological order and use clearer references to distinguish island visitors from cruise passengers.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “dramatically increased,” “fluctuating trend,” and “considerable rise,” showing an effort to describe change rather than simply list figures. However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or unnatural, as in “visitors exploring” an island, “accounted for” a number, and “a considerable rose was noticed.” Several spelling errors, including “reprents,” “drmatically,” and “constitited,” also reduce precision. Some expressions are unnecessarily elaborate, making the data harder to understand. Prefer standard graph language and use it consistently—for example, say that visitor numbers “stood at,” “rose to,” or “remained stable.” This would make your vocabulary more accurate and effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt longer sentences and use time clauses, including “before reaching…” and “after that between 2015 and 2016…,” but complex structures are often not controlled successfully. For example, “the total visitors were recorded for 1 million” has an incorrect grammatical pattern, while “reaching at 1.5 million” uses an unsuitable preposition. The long sentence describing the total series also lacks clear punctuation and becomes difficult to parse. There are problems with articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries, as in “in final year a considerable rose was noticed.” Use a mixture of shorter, accurate sentences and carefully formed comparisons. Check that each sentence has a clear subject and verb, and that tense and prepositions fit the structure.

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