Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-27

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 chart illustrates the information about the number of visitors in a particular Caribbean island from 2010 to 2017. It is clear from the line graph that the majority of the tourists visited the island in 2017.

Firstly, in 2010, a total of 1 million of the tourists visited the island and out of which, less than 0.5 million visitors stayed on the cruise ship and the rest preferred to stay on the island. 1.3 million of thw tourists visited the island and this number kept increasing, being 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 2.7 and 3.5 million in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 16 and finally 2017 respectively. The number of visitors staying on ships was almost the same until 2013 and increased to 1.5 million in 2016 and upto 2 million in 2017 whereas, the number of tourists on the island was stable at 1.5 million from 2013 to 2015, decreased by a little difference and again became the same.

Overall, based on the chart, it can be considered the most of the visiters in 2010 stayed on island but the preference of the people changed to ships till 2017.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the overall rise in visitor numbers and include relevant figures for both accommodation types, such as the total increasing from 1 million in 2010 to 3.5 million in 2017. However, the overview is incomplete and partly inaccurate: saying most tourists visited in 2017 does not capture the main pattern as clearly as noting that total numbers rose steadily and cruise-ship visitors grew especially strongly. The final claim that visitors’ preference changed to ships is not supported: in 2017, 2 million stayed on ships compared with 1.5 million on the island, but this does not establish a general preference. Some figures are also misreported or unclear, including the 2011 total and the cruise-ship trend before 2013. Select key comparisons and report them precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, a paragraph of figures and a concluding overview. The sequence from 2010 through 2017 is generally easy to follow, and phrases such as “whereas” help contrast the two accommodation groups. However, the long middle paragraph combines many years and both series in a way that makes comparisons difficult to track. The concluding overview also repeats an idea from the introduction rather than clearly summarising the main trends. Some linking is mechanical, particularly the repeated year-by-year listing. Organise the body into clearer comparisons—for example, total visitors and cruise-ship stays in one section, then island stays—and use references such as “this figure” only when their meaning is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a sufficient range of task-related vocabulary, including “total,” “increased,” “stable,” “decreased” and “preferred to stay,” so the main information is generally understandable. However, some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “the majority of the tourists visited the island” does not clearly describe the chart’s highest total, while “the preference of the people changed to ships” overstates what the figures show. “Stayed on the cruise ship” is also less natural than “stayed on cruise ships.” There are noticeable spelling and word-form slips, including “thw” and “visiters,” and “upto” should be written as two words. Aim for precise trend language and avoid interpreting accommodation figures as evidence of preference.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a contrast with “whereas” and a relative clause in “which number kept increasing.” Meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions remain. For example, “1 million of the tourists” uses an unnecessary “of,” and “out of which” does not fit smoothly in “and out of which, less than 0.5 million visitors stayed.” The long sentence listing figures is difficult to control, especially its sequence of years and values. There are also issues with articles and sentence punctuation, as in “on the island was stable” following a lengthy clause. Use shorter, well-punctuated sentences for data comparisons, and check that each clause has a clear subject and a correctly formed comparison.

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