Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-19

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 tourists visiting a particular Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017.

Overall, the number of visitors stayed on island were greater than the visitors stayed on cruise ships during the early periods. While they followed opposite trends after the 6 year period. The total number of visitors were also raised during a given period of time.

In 2010, the number of visitors on ships were 0.3 million followed by a slight incline to 0.5 million in 2011, which is then returning back to 0.3 million again in 2012 and sharply levelling up to 2 million in 2017.

With regard to number of visitors on island, their number was 0.7 million in 2010, which is remained stable in 2011 and drastically rose to 1.3 million in 2012. While during the period of 2013 and 2015, it becomes constant at 1.5 million and their figure fell to 1.3 million in 2016 and returned to 1.5 million in 2017.

Moving to the total number of visitors, their figure was 1 million in 2010 and it becomes increased to 3.5million in 2017

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main categories and give a clear overall picture: island-based visitors were higher in the earlier years, while cruise-ship numbers rose strongly, and the total increased. Most figures are close to the chart, including the 2010 and 2017 values. However, the overview is partly unclear: “opposite trends after the 6 year period” does not accurately describe the series, since island visitors were broadly stable after 2013 while cruise visitors rose. The total’s intermediate pattern is also omitted, despite its rise from 1 million to 3.5 million. Develop the overview with the key turning points and compare the series more precisely; this would make the main features more fully reported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement, with an introduction, an overview, and separate paragraphs for cruise-ship visitors, island visitors, and the total. This makes the information easy to locate. Some linking is mechanical or unclear, however. For example, “While they followed opposite trends” is a fragment and the reference of “they” is uncertain; “With regard to” and “Moving to” also create a repetitive, formulaic sequence. The final paragraph is very brief compared with the others, so the total trend is not integrated into the account. Use clearer links between comparisons and give the total its key intermediate changes, rather than relying mainly on paragraph-opening phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of trend vocabulary, including “stable,” “rose,” “fell,” and “constant,” and the reader can generally understand the data being described. Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for graph reporting: “sharply levelling up” is not a suitable collocation for the rise in cruise visitors, and “drastically rose” overstates the change. “Their number” and “their figure” are repeated and sometimes make the reference less precise. There are also presentation slips such as “3.5million.” Aim for precise, conventional terms such as “increased steadily,” “remained stable,” and “the total,” and vary wording without sacrificing accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “which” and time phrases, but some errors recur and occasionally make relationships unclear. Subject–verb agreement is problematic in “the number … were” and “their number … was”; the latter should also be structured as “the number … remained stable,” not “which is remained stable.” The overview contains a sentence fragment beginning “While,” and tense control shifts in “it becomes constant” and “it becomes increased.” Articles and sentence construction also need attention. Practise forming complete comparison sentences and keeping past-tense reporting consistent; accurate control of these patterns would make your meaning clearer.

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