Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-29
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 of island shows the number of tourists visiting in 2010 to 2017. As we can see the number of visitors that they were staying on cruise ships in 2010 are less then the visitors that they are staying on islands.
The number of visitors staying on cruise ships has been fluctuated in 2010 to 2012 in 2011 number of visitors rose and then fell down the number of visitors in 2012 but after 2012 the number of visitors are gradually rose up and its peaked on 2017 the number visitors are arround 2 millions.
On the other hand the visitors are staying on island are gradually increase in 2011 but from 2010 to 2011 they are are same after 2015 they have litle bit decrease in visitors in 2016 and then it rose up to 2017.
As per graph the total number of visitors are rose up gradually from 2010 to 2015 from 2015 to 2016 they are same and then dramaticlly increase of visitors in 2016 to 2017.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You cover all three series and identify the main overall movements: cruise-ship visitors rise substantially by 2017, island-staying visitors change less, and the total increases. Several comparisons are also accurate, including the lower cruise-ship figure in 2010 and the total remaining level from 2015 to 2016. However, some details are unclear or imprecise. For example, the island figure was unchanged from 2010 to 2011, then rose in 2012; your description of a gradual increase in 2011 does not make this sequence clear. The overview would be stronger if it explicitly highlighted that island visitors were the larger group until 2016, when cruise-ship visitors overtook them. Select the key turning points and report them more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response follows a generally sensible order: it discusses cruise-ship visitors, island visitors, and then the total. This makes the main categories easy to locate, and phrases such as “On the other hand” help signal a comparison. However, the ideas within paragraphs are often crowded into long sentences, with several changes in direction joined by “and then” or “but.” This makes the sequence of figures harder to follow, particularly in the cruise-ship paragraph. Some references, such as “they” and “it,” are not always immediately clear. Use separate sentences for each series’ main stages, and connect them with precise time markers such as “from 2012 onwards” and “by 2017” to make progression clearer and less mechanical.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “visitors,” “cruise ships,” “island,” “total,” and “increase,” so the subject remains understandable. There are also attempts to describe change, such as “fluctuated,” “peaked,” and “dramatically increase.” However, the range is limited and several choices or forms are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the trend descriptions awkward: “has been fluctuated,” “rose up,” and “little bit decrease” are not natural collocations for this task. Spelling errors such as “arround” and “dramaticaly” also reduce accuracy. Build a small set of precise trend expressions and use them consistently, for example “fluctuated,” “rose steadily,” “remained stable,” and “declined slightly.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including clauses linked with “but,” “after,” and “then,” and the reader can generally understand the trends. However, some sentence structures and verb forms are inaccurate. For example, “the number of visitors … are gradually rose up” combines incompatible verb forms, while “the visitors are staying on island are gradually increase” has problems with clause structure, tense, and agreement. The opening also needs a clearer construction: “The graph … shows the number of tourists visiting … from 2010 to 2017.” Work on past-tense reporting and subject–verb agreement, and divide long sentences into shorter units. This will help you retain some complex structures while making the relationships between ideas more accurate.
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