Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-17

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 5.0)

The given line graph provides us with information about number of people that visited the Caribbean island among the year 2010 1nd 2017. Overall, the total number of people were increased significantly while the number of visitors staying on island are relatively stable.

First of all, in 2010 1 million people visited this island and 0.75 people stayed on this island and 0.25 stayed on cruise ships. From the year 2010 to 2013 the number of visitors increased and than the of visitors were about 1.3 million. In contrast, number of people stayed on cruise ships were almost zero. Between the year 2013 to 2017, the number of people surged from 0.3 million to 1.7 million. Meanwhile, island visitors fell to 0.9 in 2016. After that, the visitors on the island recover and were almost 3.5 million in 2017. Consequently, the number of visitors reached a high of 3.5 million by 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the broad rise in total visitors and note that island-based numbers were relatively stable, which are relevant overview points. However, the report only minimally covers the graph because several key figures and trends are misreported or unclear. For example, the total in 2013 was about 2 million, not the “1.3 million” suggested, and cruise-ship visitors rose from about 0.5 million in 2013 to 2 million in 2017, rather than from 0.3 to 1.7 million. The claim that island visitors fell to 0.9 million in 2016 is also inaccurate; the figure was about 1.25 million. Give a clearer overview and compare the two visitor groups accurately across the period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic structure: an introduction and overview are followed by a chronological account, and linking expressions such as “Overall,” “In contrast,” and “Meanwhile” help signal relationships. This gives the reader some organisation. However, progression is weakened by unclear or contradictory statements, particularly “After that, the visitors on the island recover and were almost 3.5 million in 2017,” which confuses island visitors with the total. The account also jumps between totals and visitor categories without consistently identifying which series is being discussed. Organise the body around the total trend and the two accommodation groups, and use clear references such as “the total” or “cruise-ship visitors” throughout.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for describing trends, including “increased significantly,” “relatively stable,” “surged,” and “reached a high.” These choices show an attempt to vary the language beyond simple repetition. However, the range and control are limited, and several phrases are inaccurate or awkward, such as “among the year,” “the number of people stayed,” and “the visitors on the island recover.” “Almost zero” also does not describe the cruise-ship figures accurately. Use precise terms for the graph’s categories and choose collocations that fit numerical trends. For example, “visitors staying on the island” and “the figure for cruise-ship visitors” are clearer than repeated references to “people.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast introduced by “while” and a sentence beginning “Meanwhile.” However, grammatical control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make the intended comparison difficult to follow. Examples include “the total number of people were increased,” where the subject and verb form do not agree, and “From the year 2010 to 2013 the number of visitors increased and than the of visitors were about 1.3 million,” which has faulty structure and an incomplete phrase. Tense and verb-form problems also appear in “the visitors on the island recover.” Practise forming complete comparison sentences, maintaining past tense, and checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries.

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