Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-22

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 compares the number of tourists visiting at Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017. Overall, the total number of visitors show a significant surge throughout the period. The number of vistiors staying on cruise comply with an upward trend as compared to visitors staying on island. While the figure for tourists staying on island usually remain steady.

Looking at visitors staying on cruise ships, in 2011, there was a sudden rose before fell. In forthcoming years, the visitors staying on cruise experienced a gradual climb just over 2 billion until the final year, except 2012. In 2012, the figure was below 0.5 billion.

Turning to the visitors staying on island, in the first two years the number of visitors stayed remain. However, between 2011 and 2013 there was a sudden growth in the proportion of visitors around 1.2 billion. The number of visitors staying on island levelled off at 1.5 billion from 2013 to 2015. In 2017, before a marginal dip the number of tourists resurged. At last, the total number of visitors on both areas experienced a substantial increase between 2010 to 2017 around 1 billion to 3.5 billion.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall rise in total visitors and distinguish between cruise-ship visitors and those staying on the island, which gives the response a relevant overview. However, several key details are inaccurate or unclear. Cruise-ship numbers did not rise in 2011 and then fall: they increased from about 0.25 million to 0.5 million, before falling in 2012. The phrase “just over 2 billion” also misstates the unit; the figure reached about 2 million in 2017. Island visitors were broadly stable after reaching 1.5 million, but the account of a 2017 dip followed by a recovery reverses the trend: the dip occurred in 2016, followed by a rise. More precise reporting of the main changes and comparisons would make the summary fuller and clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by separate paragraphs about cruise-ship visitors, island visitors and the total. Sequencing phrases such as “Looking at” and “Turning to” help readers follow the shift between categories, and the main trends are generally presented in chronological order. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some flexibility in linking information. However, a few transitions and references are awkward or unclear, particularly “In 2017, before a marginal dip the number of tourists resurged,” which makes the sequence difficult to interpret. The final sentence also repeats the total trend rather than adding a useful comparison. Use clearer time links and avoid repeating information to make progression more consistently smooth.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable set of trend vocabulary, including “upward trend,” “gradual climb,” “levelled off,” and “substantial increase.” These choices show an attempt to describe change rather than simply list figures. However, the range is limited by noticeable word-choice and collocation problems that sometimes make the meaning unclear. “Visitors staying on cruise comply with an upward trend” is not a natural expression, while “a sudden rose” and “the visitors … experienced a gradual climb” use unsuitable forms or combinations. “Billion” is also repeatedly used where the chart reports millions, creating a serious imprecision in describing the data. Check spelling, including “vistiors,” and choose standard chart language such as “the number rose” or “visitor numbers increased.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple sentences and more complex structures, including “While the figure for tourists staying on island usually remain steady” and “between 2011 and 2013 there was a sudden growth.” However, control is inconsistent, and several errors affect clarity. Subject–verb agreement is faulty in “the total number … show” and “the figure … remain”; the opening also needs an article in “at a Caribbean island.” Some sentence structures are incomplete or awkward, such as the opening “While” clause, and “in the first two years the number of visitors stayed remain” combines incompatible verb forms. Prepositions and time expressions also need attention, as in “between 2010 to 2017.” Practise accurate past-tense reporting and complete clause structures before adding complexity.

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