Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-26

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 given line graph illustrates the tourists visiting a particular Caribbiean island between 2010 to 2017. The X axis represents years where as the Y axis shows number of tourists.

To begin with, in year 2010 the visitor staying on cruise ships was 0.25 million where as other 2 that was visitors staying on island and total are 0.75, 1 million respectively. From year 2011 to year 2013 the visitors staying on cruise ship was uneven where as the other two had inclined in number of visitors visiting caribbean island which was upto 1.5 and 2 million respectively. From year 2014 to 2017 the visitors staying on cruise ship had a rocket climb which was upto 2 million. Visitors staying on island from year 2014 to 2017 had slightly fluctuations which was upto 1.5 million. Further more, total had a constant rise in numbers of tourists visiting a caribbean island which was upto 3.5 million.

Overall, it is clear from all the perspective Total had highest number of visitors where as visitors staying on island the lowest from 2010 to 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the graph’s subject and report several key figures, including the 2010 values and the 2017 totals. You also note the overall rise in total visitors and the growth in cruise-ship visitors. However, the overview contains a major factual error: visitors staying on the island were not the lowest overall; they were higher than cruise-ship visitors in most years, while the total was highest. Some trends are also described imprecisely: the island-stay figure was broadly stable after 2013, rather than showing notable fluctuations, and the total levelled off between 2015 and 2016 before rising. A clearer overview and more accurate comparisons across the period would make the report more complete and developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a chronological account, and a concluding overview. Time markers such as “To begin with,” “From year 2011 to year 2013,” and “From year 2014 to 2017” help the reader follow the sequence, and the main information is generally grouped sensibly. This coherent arrangement is a strength. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical and the long middle paragraph combines several series without consistently clarifying which figures are being compared. Phrases such as “the other two” require the reader to look back to identify the categories. Use separate, clearly linked comparisons and more precise referencing to make the cohesion smoother and less dependent on repeated time phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a graph, including “illustrates,” “visitors,” “total,” “rise,” and “fluctuations,” so the topic remains understandable. There are also attempts at more vivid language, such as “a rocket climb,” but this is informal and not a natural choice for an academic report. Several expressions are imprecise or awkward, including “had inclined in number,” “from all the perspective,” and repeated use of “upto.” The spelling of “Caribbean” is also inconsistent, appearing as “Caribbiean” and “caribbean.” These choices limit precision and sometimes make the description less clear. Aim for accurate collocations such as “increased steadily” and “reached,” and use the graph categories consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the reader can generally understand the intended trends. However, the range is limited, and complex sentences are often not controlled accurately. For example, “From year 2011 to year 2013 the visitors staying on cruise ship was uneven” has problems with the plural subject and verb agreement, while “the other two had inclined” uses an incorrect verb form. There are also recurring issues with articles, prepositions, and sentence construction, as in “between 2010 to 2017” and “the visitors staying on island.” These errors sometimes make relationships between figures difficult to follow. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build comparisons with controlled clauses, checking agreement and articles in each sentence.

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