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 line graph illustrates how many tourists were visiting the Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Overall, it is evident that the total number of tourists visits were increasing through out the time frame, while the visitors who stay on the island where the highest in the end as compared to the people who stay on cruise ships.

To begin with, only 10 millions tourists visits the island in 2010 which include 0.3 millions people who were staying on cruise ships and 0.7 million were staying on the island. However, it was remained constant in year 2011, from now onwards it showed continously increase in popullation, those who stay on the island and reached upto 1.5 millions in year 2017.

On the other hand, visitors who were staying on cruise ships represented the upward and downward trend till 2013. After that it showed moderately increased in the numbers of people. Although, in 2017 reached upto 2 millions of visitors who live on cruise ships and beats the popullation in numbers who was living on the island.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the overall rise in total visitors and describe both accommodation groups, so the response is relevant to the graph. However, the overview contains a major contradiction: it says island-based visitors were highest at the end, whereas cruise-ship visitors reached 2 million and exceeded the island figure of 1.5 million in 2017. The opening figure is also inaccurate: the total was about 1 million, not “10 millions.” Some trends are reported, but key comparisons are incomplete, including the steady rise in the total to 3.5 million and its levelling off in 2015–16. A clearer, accurate overview and more carefully selected comparisons would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for the island and cruise-ship figures. This helps the reader follow the two categories, and phrases such as “To begin with” and “On the other hand” signal transitions. However, progression is weakened by unclear or contradictory references, particularly the overview’s claim that island visitors were highest at the end, followed later by the statement that cruise visitors “beats” them. Some linking phrases are also mechanical or awkward, such as “from now onwards” and “Although” at the start of a sentence without a completed contrast. Organise the report around the overall trend and then compare the two groups, using links that express the relationship precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “upward and downward trend,” “represented,” and “time frame,” and the reader can generally identify the two visitor groups. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning difficult to interpret. For example, “10 millions tourists visits” appears to mean one million visitors, while “increased in the numbers” and “beats the population in numbers” are not natural ways to describe the data. Spelling errors such as “continously” and “popullation” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise chart language such as “the total rose,” “visitor numbers fluctuated,” and “surpassed,” and check spelling and singular/plural forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “which include…” and a contrast introduced by “Although.” However, errors occur frequently across sentence structures and make some statements hard to follow. Examples include subject–verb disagreement in “the total number … were increasing,” incorrect tense and agreement in “it was remained constant,” and the incomplete construction “Although, in 2017 reached…” The final sentence also shifts between singular and plural forms (“visitors who was”). Work on consistent past-tense reporting, subject–verb agreement, and complete clauses. For example, write “The total number of visitors increased” and “By 2017, cruise-ship visitors had reached 2 million.”

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