Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06

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 5.0)

The given image is a line graph, which provide us vital information about multiple shops in which some are newly opened in a country and number of shop that closed from 2011 to 2018.

Overall, if we look closely it clearly seen that the trend of newly opend shop increase gradually while on the other hand closed shops remain fluctuated. x-axis show the data reagarding years and the y-axis provide information about the numbers of shops.

At the begining of time new shops recorded over 6000 plus and seem some up and down slowly but in one year it decline dramaticly and then suddenly rise sharply next year after reamain stable.

Meanwhile, shop closure decline fastly in one year from 8500 to 3800 then slide go up in next two years while in next in coming there is no up down trends at the end we seen a slight decrease.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to summarize the graph but fails to provide a clear, accurate overview of the data. While it identifies the two categories, the description of the trends is vague and lacks specific data points. For instance, stating 'new shops recorded over 6000 plus' is imprecise, and the description of the trends is confusing and difficult to follow. The response lacks a clear comparison between the two lines, which is a key requirement of the task. To improve, you must select specific data points (e.g., the starting and ending values, the peaks, and the troughs) to support your summary rather than using general descriptions like 'up and down'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often misused or mechanical, such as 'Meanwhile' and 'at the end we seen'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of the data. To improve, focus on using linking words more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus, such as grouping the trends for openings and closures separately or comparing them chronologically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. There are several instances of incorrect word choice and non-standard collocations, such as 'remain fluctuated', 'decline dramaticly', and 'fastly'. The spelling errors (e.g., 'opend', 'reagarding', 'dramaticly') also detract from the quality of the writing. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise vocabulary to describe trends, such as 'fluctuated', 'plummeted', or 'remained stable', and ensure you are using the correct word forms (e.g., adverbs instead of adjectives).

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'graph, which provide us'), tense consistency, and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or lack necessary articles and prepositions. For example, 'x-axis show the data' should be 'The x-axis shows the data'. The range of structures is limited, relying mostly on simple sentences. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree, and practice using complex sentences with correct punctuation.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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