Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-02

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below shows the number of shops that closed and the number of new shops that opened in one country between 2011 and 2018.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Number of shop closures and openings 2011– 2018

Student answer (Band 7.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of shop opening and closure from 2011 to 2018.

Overall the number of new shops and the number of closed shops fluctuated over the entire timeframe. Both the opening and closing of the business reduced at the end of the period.

At the beginning, 2011, more than 8,000 shops faced closure while the number of inaugurated shops were just over 6 thousands. In the next year, closing of the shops declined rapidly to nearly 4000, on the other hand, the number of new shops also become slightly less. In 2013, both increased again and the numbers became the closest in the timeline.

A drastic fall is evident in 2014, when the opening was the lowest, even less than a thousand, while closure was close to 4000. In next two years, both of the trends became more stable and stayed near four to five thousands. In final year, the number of closing shops dropped again to 3,000 and opening increased slightly over 5 thousands.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully identified the main features of the graph, including the overall trends and specific data points for the start, end, and key fluctuations. You covered all parts of the task well. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide more precise comparisons between the two categories throughout the period rather than just describing them sequentially. For instance, highlighting that closures consistently outnumbered openings for most of the period, except for the final year, would strengthen your analysis. The overview is clear and provides a good summary of the main trends.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use some cohesive devices such as 'on the other hand' and 'in the next year' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas more fluidly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the overview from the detailed data analysis. The progression of information is generally clear, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fluctuated', 'drastic fall', and 'inaugurated'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'closing of the business' (should be 'business closures') and 'the numbers became the closest' (should be 'the figures were closest'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the use of more sophisticated, precise vocabulary. Expanding your range of reporting verbs and nouns related to data trends would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the number of inaugurated shops were' should be 'was') and article usage ('In final year' should be 'In the final year'). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'opening was the lowest'. While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the reader's understanding of the data. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article consistency.

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